Nepal has been thrown into turmoil after a sweeping social media ban triggered some of the country’s most violent protests in recent years. The unrest, led largely by Gen Z angered by corruption and censorship, has left dozens dead, forced the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, and driven tens of thousands to adopt Jack Dorsey’s new decentralized messaging app, Bitchat.
The crisis began on September 4 when the government abruptly blocked 26 popular platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and YouTube. Officials said the restrictions were aimed at curbing misinformation and maintaining “social harmony.” For a country where more than half of its 30 million citizens are online, the move was deeply disruptive.
The timing could not have been worse. Anger had been mounting for months over allegations of corruption and the lavish lifestyles flaunted by political elites’ children, often under the hashtag #NepoKids. When the ban took effect, many saw it not as a regulation but as an attempt to silence dissent.
Within a few days, Kathmandu and other cities were packed with young protesters. What began as peaceful marches soon turned violent. Police opened fire, used rubber bullets, and used tear gas to break up the crowds. In return, demonstrators set the parliament on fire, stormed the Supreme Court, and attacked government offices. By September 9, Prime Minister Oli stepped down.
The toll has been heavy. At least 22 people were confirmed dead, though some reports suggest the figure could be higher. Over a thousand people were injured in the clashes. By September 10, the government had imposed a curfew in Kathmandu, with troops patrolling the streets as fears of more violence grew.
What started as anger over social media restrictions quickly turned into a much bigger movement, one rejecting corruption, inequality, and years of poor governance.
As mainstream platforms went dark, Nepalis scrambled to find new ways to communicate. VPN sign-ups surged by 6,000% in just three days, according to Proton VPN. But when rumors spread of a possible nationwide internet blackout, many turned to a different solution altogether: Bitchat.
Launched only in July by Twitter (now X) Co-Founder Jack Dorsey and open-source developer “Calle,” Bitchat relies on Bluetooth mesh technology. It allows encrypted messages to hop between nearby devices without the need for internet access, SIM cards, or personal accounts. Each phone becomes a node, extending the range of the network.
Downloads in Nepal soared from just 3,344 a week earlier to nearly 49,000 by September 8. The spike dwarfed a similar surge in Indonesia earlier this month, where Bitchat had been adopted during protests against government perks and economic inequality. “Today we are seeing an even bigger jump from Nepal amid youth protests against government corruption and a social-media ban,” Calle posted online.
Bitchat’s features made it particularly attractive in crisis conditions. In addition to anonymous sign-ups, the app offers a “panic mode” that instantly wipes all data from a device with three taps.
While Bitchat provided a lifeline on the ground, other digital platforms continued to shape the movement. Many activists shifted to Discord, where one Nepali server grew to more than 145,000 members. There, debates turned to possible interim leadership, with former Chief Justice Sushila Karki emerging as one of the names discussed.
The now-infamous hashtag #NepoKids had already inflamed resentment before the ban. Posts comparing the designer clothes and luxury trips of politicians’ children with the economic struggles of ordinary families circulated widely. “This fuelled the fire of anger that has been growing for a long time,” rights activist Sanjib Chaudhary observed.
For many young Nepalis, the ban only reinforced the perception that leaders were out of touch. “Tech played… an almost decisive role,” journalist Pranaya Rana told AFP.
Nepal’s unrest comes on the heels of similar protests in Indonesia, where discontent over lawmakers’ benefits and economic stagnation turned violent. In Jakarta and other cities, at least six people died and thousands were arrested. There, too, citizens turned to decentralized messaging apps, with Bitchat downloads crossing 11,000 in days.
Google Trends data shows spikes in global searches for “bitchat download” tied closely to mass protests. The first surge came on August 21 during Indonesia’s protests, and the second spike was seen on September 8 in Nepal.
It shows how people are increasingly turning to what’s now being called “freedom tech” — apps built to escape censorship and government surveillance.
Nepal’s move toward decentralized apps ties into a bigger global issue. In Europe, lawmakers are pushing a “Chat Control” law that could make apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal let regulators scan messages before they even get encrypted.
Supporters say the law will help fight crime and protect children. Critics warn it could destroy privacy and open the door to mass surveillance. With 15 EU states already in favor, the final call may depend on Germany’s vote.
If it passes, more people around the world could start moving to apps like Bitchat, Session, or Status.