Proton VPN sign-ups in Nepal rocket to 8,000% over the baseline in response to social media ban

VPN usage dramatically increased in Nepal following a government imposed social media ban.

Proton VPN, one of the best VPNs, reported a sign-up increase of 8,000% over the baseline. This came as the Nepalese government blocked access to 26 social media apps.

Reports indicated Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and X all went offline, with the shutdown first occurring on Thursday, September 4.

The move sparked huge mass protests in Nepal's capital Kathmandu, mostly made up of young people. As of September 9, 21 protesters had been killed and hundreds injured.

Following the Prime Minister's resignation, it appears as though the social media ban has now been lifted – but anger, and the troubling rise of internet restriction, remains.

Cracking down on misuse

Social media apps were blocked after failing to register with the authorities. Nepal's government cited misuse as their reasons for the ban.

As reported by Reuters, the government said false social media accounts were "spreading hatred and rumors, committing cyber crime, and disturbing social harmony." Tackling hate speech, online fraud, and fake news were also given as reasons.

Internet usage in Nepal is high, with around 90% of the population having access.

Social media companies were required to register with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, as well as naming a "local contact, grievance handler, and person responsible for self-regulation."

Those who didn't comply would be shut down, and on Thursday, September 4, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) regulator received a government order to deactivate unregistered social media apps.

TikTok and Viber are two apps said to have registered, whereas Facebook, Instagram, X, and WhatsApp were not. Nepal's government believed companies were given enough time to register.

Mass protests erupted following the ban, as demonstrators expressed their anger at the social media crackdown and perceived government corruption. Various government buildings, including parliament, have been targeted in Kathmandu and Nepal's Prime Minister, Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, resigned on Tuesday, September 9.

Amid the protests, VPN sign-ups have rocketed. Proton VPN, via the Proton VPN Observatory, recorded usage initially rising to 500% over the baseline, before accelerating to 6,000% in just three days.

At the time of writing, the figure is 8,000% over the baseline. But it is unclear whether this number will drop or remain high in the wake of the ban's lifting.

Proton VPN has a host of dedicated anti-censorship features, including its free VPN offering Proton VPN Free. Other features include Guest Mode, discreet app icons, and its Stealth protocol – which provides VPN obfuscation.

In a tweet describing its VPN spike, Proton VPN warned those affected by government censorship to "stay away" from VPNs with potential links to China. These VPNs can be dangerous and Proton VPN warned "they only serve to harvest your data."

Tom's Guide reported on research by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) back in April 2025, listing 20 VPNs that posed a risk to your data. These apps were found on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and some were still there in June 2025, two months after being discovered.

Further investigations into these apps found that many were connected. 18 apps were found to share data and even security flaws. Code, IP addresses, VPN protocols, and ownership were some examples of similarities.

Whether it's a paid VPN or a free VPN, your chosen provider needs to be reputable and secure. This is even more important with free VPNs, as harvesting and selling your data is what can make these providers money.

Only the best free VPNs – including Proton VPN Free – are genuinely safe free VPNs and almost all other providers should be avoided.

Nepal's history of internet restrictions

This is not the first case of online restrictions in Nepal. In 2023 a directive required social media companies to register and establish a local presence – it appears as these rules have been the catalyst for this month's bans.

According to Al-Jazeera, Telegram was blocked in July, with the government citing a rise in online fraud and money laundering.

A ban on TikTok was lifted after nine months in August 2024 after the company agreed to comply with the government's regulations.

Despite the ban seemingly being lifted, Nepal's actions are another troubling example of the increased tightening of online freedoms for millions around the world. In recent months, we have seen incidents in Pakistan, Russia, Myanmar, mainland Europe, and even the UK.

24 cases of internet restrictions occurred in the first six months of 2025 and there are no signs of this slowing down.

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