Nepal sees 8,000% spike in VPN use after censorship protests

Demonstrations broke out in Nepal on Monday after a controversial ban on social media blocked people in the country to access most social media forms. The protests of “Gen Z” led by young people against the ban on social media and the corruption of the government sparked a violent reaction, and the BBC reported that 19 demonstrators were killed. THE New York Times Local media reports also quoted that 400 people had been injured during the ongoing demonstrations.

In the midst of demonstrations, a popular VPN supplier reported a peak of 8,000% of registrations, ostensibly so that Nepalese users can recover online and use social media.

The problem started when Nepal has passed a ban that deleted access to 26 social media platforms, including platforms inherited such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit, as well as new platforms like Threads, Discord and Mastodon. Authorities in Nepal said to New York Times These platforms have not registered with the Nepalese government.

Tiktok was able to circumvent the ban by registering in 2024, and Telegram would currently be registered. In addition to the official recording, each social media company must have a local contact point to help fight against disinformation and abuse. Ministry of Nepal Communication and Information Technologies published an opinion That companies can get rid of the prohibition list by registering.

Although the ban has been fully promulgated, many people are angry because the bill has not adopted the country’s parliament, arousing accusations of government’s censorship. The prohibition of social media would have caused the persistent anger of government corruption and economic inequalities to a boil, leading to the explosive demonstrations of the Z generation which occurred on Monday, as the Times reported. Meanwhile, many Nepalese find other ways to connect.

While the prohibition came into force on September 4, Proton VPN recorded an 8,000% increase in new users for its VPN services, which can be used to bypass georestrictions on websites or specific applications. Proton VPN displayed a graph showing new users in Nepal joining in mass from September 3, the figures soar after September 4 when the prohibition in fact entered. Proton VPN is one of the most popular VPN services, with the reputation of having some of the best confidentiality features of any VPN.

A graphic published on the Proton VPN website.
Credit: Proton VPN

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The company reported similar peaks in registrations following large -scale prohibitions in other countries. For example, after Pornhub was recently blocked in France, Proton VPN registrations jumped by 1,000%.

According to a Reuters report, the police responded to civilian troubles with tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets. The day became violent after the demonstrators make their way in the Parliament complex in Kathmandu.