Where Data Tells the Story
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Violence and chaos have gripped Nepal as protests sparked by the blocking of social media sites spiralled out of control. The country's prime minister resigned Tuesday after security forces fired on protestors Monday. Hundreds were injured and at least 22 people died, most by live ammunition. The army assumed control Tuesday night after many government and other buildings were set ablaze by protestors. Young people were reported to lead the uprising, which was catalized by the attempt to surpress online expression but brought to the surface the population's deep discontent with issues like corruption, inequality and political participation.
Democracy in Nepal only has a relatively short history and despite the last remnants of its monarchy abolished in 2008, nepotism and deep-seated corruption have continued to rule the country, drawing the ire of the population. This is especially true for young Nepalese who struggle with finding employment and opportunity. In a country dependent on the remittances of workers abroad, the social media ban has been described as a very strong trigger as it cut off communications with the diaspora.
Data from website Top10VPN shows that Nepal's social media blocks elicited the most pronounced response in terms of people looking for a way around via VPNs this year. On September 7, VPN search volume in the country had risen almost 3,000 percent above the previous month's average - the biggest spike recorded globally this year by the source. On July 17, the introduction of new online age verification requirements led to a momentary increase of almost 2,000 percent of VPN search volume in the United Kingdom, while a similar law change led to volumes in France spiking by 570 percent on June 5. Ongoing protests and unrest in Iran which has led to the authorities restricting internet access reached a high point on June 15, when VPN search volume rose 707 percent over the previous month's level. The shortlived U.S. TikTok ban saw search volumes soar up 827 percent on January 19.