Social Media and Gen-Z Revolution in Nepal: An Analytical Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/sajssh.2026.7302Keywords:
Crony-capitalism, Digital Rights, Nepokids, People’s Journalism, Political instability, Virtual SpaceAbstract
The “Gen-Z Revolution” in Nepal in September 2025 was a historic turning point in South Asian politics. The way social media restrictions mobilised an entire generation to take to the streets and the protests that continued until the government fell make it an excellent subject for academic research. The ban imposed by the Nepalese government on September 4, 2025, on twenty-six social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, etc.) was not merely a regulatory measure; it ignited pent-up frustration against decades of corruption, unemployment, and nepotism. Nepal’s Gen-Z, which is highly active digitally, perceived this ban as the final blow to their freedom of expression. Nepal has witnessed decades-long struggles—such as the anti-Rana regime movement of 1951 or the ten-year Maoist People's War—yet this particular sequence of events unfolded with such intensity that it altered the very equation of power overnight. Therefore, this study examines the reasons behind this revolution and analyses how a “digital blackout” paved the way for a real-world revolution, resulting in a power shift.
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