Turkey also temporarily banned major social media apps

By: Ajay Ajay

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Updated on: 09-Sep-2025

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What exactly happened?

So, in the last few days, many incidents have occurred, and as a result, two countries, Nepal and Turkey, have decided to prohibit access to major social media platforms such as YouTube, X, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Despite the fact that Nepal was the first to ban these apps, Turkey followed suit by banning their use in response to global concerns about freedom of expression and digital rights.

When exactly did it happen?

• Nepal: the Nepal government banned 26 social media platforms on September 4, 2025, including popular apps such as Instagram and WhatsApp, because these companies failed to fulfill the conditions under new digital regulations. This resulted in a huge protest, which has been ongoing for the last few days.

• Turkey: The protest outbreak is not limited to Nepal; it has spread across the globe, with Turkey temporarily cutting access to popular apps such as YouTube, X, and Instagram due to clashes in Istanbul, but these services were restored within 12 hours, and an official explanation is still pending.

What happens first?

• In Nepal, following the ban of these apps, a large number of young people took to the streets to protest, known as the Gen Z protest. These people are not only opposing the social media ban but also the corruption, flaws, and gaps in law enforcement. While security forces take quick action, resulting in heavy violence with rubber bullets and tear gas. During this protest and violence, 19 people were killed and hundreds were injured. The government then promised compensation to those who were injured or killed and ordered an investigation.

• In Turkey, this ban lasted only a short time, but when the government saw political tensions in Istanbul, they banned all apps, while some users remained connected via VPN.

Why is this important?

Although this is unusual, two countries have consecutively banned social media apps. This is a major situation which is leading the global trends

• In Nepal, this demonstrates how much youth have become involved with social media in recent years and will continue to do so in the future, as well as how social media is used during times of political tension and protest.

• The Turkish government is using digital blackouts as a tool to control protests and difficult political situations.

• Globally, this demonstrates that human rights organizations must warn people about how these things are preventing them from exercising their rights and undermining internet freedom.

The bigger picture

This is not a signal image of any particular state or country, but rather a global phenomenon in which the government controls individual rights. This is about more than just the app; it's about the future of expression in the digital age.