The Nepal authorities lifted the ban on social media after 1000’s of younger Nepalis took to the streets of Kathmandu to protest. Nepal’s communication and knowledge minister Prithvi Subba Gurung on Sunday mentioned the federal government has rolled again its choice to ban social media platforms after an emergency Cupboard assembly, PTI reported. He introduced that businesses have been directed to revive entry to the platforms, days after authorities ordered 26 websites, together with Fb and X, to be blocked for not registering with the federal government. The reversal got here after large-scale protests in Kathmandu, led by ‘Gen Z’ demonstrators who had camped exterior Parliament. Gurung appealed to the group to name off their agitation. The protests turned violent on Monday when some contributors breached the Parliament advanced, forcing police to make use of water cannons, tear fuel, and dwell rounds to disperse them, eyewitnesses mentioned. In response to the PTI, clashes between protesters and police left 19 individuals useless and greater than 300 others injured.The demonstrations, largely pushed by the youth, erupted after the controversial choice was introduced, with police resorting to firing at a number of places to disperse crowds.The India-Nepal border has been placed on alert a protests in Nepal, ANI reported, citing sources. The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), which guards the border, has stepped up vigilance and is carefully monitoring developments to forestall any spillover of unrest into Indian territory. Officers harassed that the alert is “preventive in nature” and that the scenario stays beneath management.Nepal’s residence minister resignsNepal’s residence minister Ramesh Lekhak resigned after violent protests, in accordance with PTI citing Nepali Congress sources. Lekhak, a Nepali Congress chief within the coalition authorities, stepped down on “ethical grounds” amid nationwide outrage. The protests, led largely by youths, shook Kathmandu and several other different cities earlier than turning lethal.Why have been platforms banned? The blackout, which started Friday, adopted a authorities order blocking 26 social media platforms for failing to register regionally. The record included Fb, Instagram, X (previously Twitter), YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and Reddit. At a Cupboard assembly chaired by Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung, corporations got seven days to fulfill compliance guidelines: register with the ministry, appoint a grievance officer, title a compliance officer, and arrange some extent of contact in Nepal. Whereas some apps resembling TikTok, Viber, Wetalk, and Nimbuzz have registered — and Telegram and World Diary are within the course of — main international platforms have but to conform. Officers mentioned entry will probably be restored as soon as necessities are met. The choice got here after a Supreme Courtroom ruling in September 2024 directing stricter oversight of unlicensed platforms, OTT apps, and browsers. A joint bench of Justices Tek Prasad Dhungana and Shanti Singh Thapa had upheld petitions looking for regulation of advertisements and content material. Nepal’s blackout mirrors a world development, with governments from the US and EU to India, Brazil, China, and Australia tightening controls on Huge Tech amid considerations over misinformation, privateness, on-line security, and nationwide safety.