Nepal’s government has lifted a ban on about two dozen social media platforms after the curb ignited youth-led demonstrations across the country on Monday that saw more than a dozen protesters killed in the capital Kathmandu.
Communications Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung made the announcement after a cabinet meeting following the worst unrest the country has seen in decades.
At least 19 people were killed following a crackdown by the security forces on the protests, which were fueled mainly by anger over corruption. The protests were led by members of Generation Z, the cohort between the ages of 13 and 28.
Popular anger spilled into the streets of the Nepali capital after the government moved last week to block social media platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube, in a move that was widely criticized by rights groups as a tool for censorship.
The government had claimed the ban was needed to clamp down on fake news and hate speech and accused the companies of failing to register.
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