Netizens Channel Anger Into #NepoBabies as Govt Bans 26 Social Platforms

“Working hard and paying taxes so politicians’ children can afford designer bags, cars and vacations,” read a caption on a video posted on TikTok.

“Studying hard so that I can fund the nepo babies in their upcoming trip and luxuries,” another TikTok post said.

“Us working 48 hours a week so that the corrupted politicians can wear gucci on their international trips,” read yet another post.

In the wake of the Nepal government’s decision to ban more than two dozen social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube—for failing to register locally, Nepali netizens are finding new ways to vent their frustrations. And they have found a potent symbol: the lavish lifestyles of politicians’ children, flaunted online in sharp contrast to the struggles of ordinary citizens.

Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung announced Thursday that the government would move to block unregistered platforms immediately, saying repeated notices to companies had been ignored. The state, he argued, is only trying to make operators “accountable and responsible” in line with the Guidelines for Regulating Social Media, 2023.

But, observers argue that the authorities’ approach restricts freedom of speech and expression, as these platforms serve as primary channels of communication. They also note that social media has become a vital tool for many to run their businesses.

Additionally, a bill currently before Parliament, still awaiting full debate, has been described by many as a censorship tool that risks curbing freedom of expression and punishing online protest. Officials counter that the rise in crimes committed via social media, combined with the difficulty of securing information from unregistered platforms, makes stronger laws unavoidable.

The government’s move has sown confusion. While banned platforms remain accessible on some networks, many users have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs) to stay connected. Others have flocked to Rakuten Viber, one of the few platforms already registered with the ministry.

Videos on TikTok—one of only five platforms formally registered under Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology—juxtapose images of luxury accessories, overseas holidays, and lavish lifestyles with scenes of families struggling to afford food and youths flying to the Gulf for employment.

Using the hashtag #nepobabies, young Nepalis accuse the children and grandchildren of politicians of living extravagantly off wealth and power accumulated through corruption.

Observers say this digital trend highlights longstanding problems in Nepal—inequality, nepotism, favouritism and corruption—that remain deeply embedded in society and politics. The anger also reflects a regional mood: similar anti-government protests and online shaming campaigns are roiling Southeast Asia.

In Indonesia, demonstrations erupted after parliament approved a controversial housing allowance for MPs nearly ten times the minimum wage in Jakarta. According to The Guardian, “The protests began on 25 August, with thousands demonstrating outside parliament… Prabowo [Indonesia’s President] has simultaneously implemented strict austerity measures, including cuts to education, health and public works.”

At least 10 people have died, over 1,000 injured and more than 3,000 detained nationwide in violent protests, according to international media reports.

In the Philippines, revelations of corruption in flood-control projects have sparked online campaigns targeting the children of politicians and contractors accused of profiteering. As the Asia Media Centre reported, “Revelations of irregularities have sparked widespread public anger, with Filipinos turning to social media in a novel form of protest, calling out and publicly ‘shaming’ the children of politicians.”

And In Malaysia, a law designed to make state contracting more transparent, which was expected to be a flagship reform, has sparked backlash from opposition lawmakers, civil society groups, and ordinary Malaysians due to the speed and manner in which it was passed.

Calls for Action

On Reddit—another of the 26 platforms now banned in Nepal—users have begun to voice frustration more directly. Some comments urge people to take to the streets.

Reads one comment: “Gotta get out of comment section to the streets, like Indonesia, the audacity to flaunt is slap to all us citizens struggling to meet ends meet. Nepalese people cannot be proud of their tolerance anymore its a flaw not pride, passed down by generations who were suppressed by Rana, the panchayat, monarchs and so on, one generation has to sacrifice, plant seeds if tree not for us but for so that the future can bear the fruit. Lets gooo.”

Others raise caution, questioning whether it is fair to target children for the wealth of their parents. Some argue that the outrage should be broadened.

“Devastating lack of class consciousness in the youth. Y'all don't realize they're part of the same group - politicians and the people who own this country (big businessmen, media houses, etc.),” reads one Reddit post. “But they've successfully brainwashed y'all into thinking only the politicians are the problem.”

Another comment echoed this view: “Someone should really also do this for corrupt businesspeople/media/NGO people. Politicians are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Whether TikTok activism turns into real-world protest remains to be seen. But the growing online rage underscores a broader unease—about corruption, about inequality, and about the state’s efforts to rein in the very platforms where discontent is finding its loudest voice.