The Impact of Social Media on Nepali Society:- In the modern-day digital era, social media has become a major part of life in practically the entire world. Nepal is also witnessing rapid growth in terms of internet users and access to digital platforms, thus not being left out.
Since smartphones and reasonably affordable access to the internet spread all over the nation, right into its remotest corners, no areas of Nepalese society-from communication and business to politics, culture, and education alike-were left without the impact of social media.

This blog post explains the profound and far-reaching influences of social media in Nepali society. We will look at how social media has reshaped communication, culture, politics, business, and education, and discuss both positive and negative consequences arising due to that.
Table of Contents – The Impact of Social Media on Nepali Society
1. Growth of Social Media in Nepal
In the last decade, the movement of Nepal into the digital world has been swift and transformational. Less than 1% of the population had accessed the internet in the year 2000, while more than 75% had done so by 2024.
This increase in internet penetration is closely related to the proliferation of smartphones and the availability of cheaper data plans that render social media accessible to millions of users.
Popular Social Media in Use in Nepal
Facebook: It is still the most used social media platform in Nepal. It has become an important tool for people of all ages to connect with friends and family, share information, and consume news, with millions of active users.
Since the rise in video content, YouTube has dominated in providing entertainment, education, and news to Nepali users. Further, many of them have gained fame in YouTube with their local creations.
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Instagram: Especially among the youth, it has created room for people to share pictures and videos, communicate through visual attractions, and has become a great platform to reach more audience for influencers and brands.
TikTok: From an insignificant number in the early days, in recent years, TikTok has seen a power-packed explosion, especially among teenagers and young adults throughout Nepal. It has become an avenue for creative expression, entertainment, and everything viral.
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Twitter: Although not as prevalent compared to Facebook and Instagram, Twitter remains important in Nepal due to its use in shaping political discourses, news sharing, and intellectual discussions.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn, though not as popular as the others, has quickly gotten popular among professionals and job seekers as a medium to connect with other people and advance one’s career.
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The rapid use of social media in Nepal has brought changes in communication and acquiring information and interacting with the outside world. Due to this transformation, the significant changes it is bringing to society are immense- both positive and negative.
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2. Social Media and Communication in Nepalese Society
2.1 The Transformation in the Way of Communication
One thing that has successfully penetrated people’s lives through social media has to do with the way Nepalese communicate.
For instance, communication was always slow and limited to traditional methods of letters, landline phones, and face-to-face interactions in the old days when people needed to communicate with other individuals in other parts of the country. Today, social media facilitates connecting anybody anywhere at any time of day and night.
Instant Communication and Connectivity
Social media platforms like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Viber have made communication instant. People living in other areas of the country or abroad are easily able to communicate with their family and friends. This has been helpful for the large amount of Nepalis working abroad, as they are in contact with their loved ones instantly.
Global Connectivity: Social media have further facilitated Nepalis in being in contact with the rest of the world, which has helped in expanding their horizons and further cross-cultural exchanges. This helps in promoting understanding and tolerance between different cultures.
Virtual Communities: Through social media, virtual communities have been formed where people of like minds meet to share ideas, experiences, and support. In fact, from farmers’ online groups to female entrepreneurs’ forums, social media has provided a means for different communities to thrive.
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Challenges in Communication
While social media has no doubt improved communication, it has also created certain challenges:
Superficial Relationships: The quality of relationships has changed. Much as one may stay in touch with many people, many feel that social media actually yields superficial relationships. In the fast paced-like comments and emojis, much of the depth and intimacy of face-to-face communication are lost.
Digital Divide: While the internet diffusion is very rapid in Nepal, the digital divide prevails. In this regard, it may disconnect the rural people, older people, or those who do not have easy access to technologies, and further communicate and participate in society.
2.2 The Rise of Social Media Messaging
Traditional SMS has been replaced by social media as a primary means of text communication in Nepal. WhatsApp, Viber, and Messenger have become an integral part of communication at both personal and professional levels.
Such platforms save people from having to spend money on phone calls or sending expensive text messages, thus allowing for quick, free-of-cost communication, especially among those communicating across international borders.
Impact on Language and Communication Styles
With the rise of social messaging on social media, this has also influenced the Nepalese way of using the language. Most social media platforms use either Nepali, English, or a combination of both, generally known as “Nepanglish.” The use of emojis, abbreviations, and informal language has gone wild, especially among the younger users of the sites.
Though this might have introduced creative ways of expression, some educators and linguists are concerned about the implications for formal writing and communication skills.
3. Social Media and Political Discourse in Nepal
3.1 Use of Social Media for Political Mobilization
During the last couple of years, social media have also emerged as a powerful tool for the mobilization of political forces and activism in Nepal. In fact, social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have been increasingly utilized by politicians, political parties, and even activists to reach out to the general public, disseminate information, and garner support for their movements.
Political Campaigning
Social media has proved pivotal in these recent elections, where politicians reach out to a greater number of people without having to be dependent on traditional media like newspapers, radio, and television.
Social media sites come handy for the political parties to share campaign messages, mobilize supporters, and organize rallies. This type of digital campaigning turns out to be quite effective in engaging younger voters who are more active on social media.
Grassroots Movements
Social media have provided a platform for grassroots movements and social activism in Nepal. Corruption, environmental degradation, and gender equality are some issues that have gained momentum on social media, wherein protests and awareness are raised, and the government is forced to take action.
Movements such as “Occupy Baluwatar” and campaigns against sexual violence have received widespread media attention and public support through social media sites.
3.2 Challenges of Political Discourse on Social Media
While social media democratized political discourse and thus enhanced people’s ability to engage in politics, the challenges that it unleashed are not insignificant:
Misinformation and Fake News: One of the biggest challenges of political discourse on social media is misinformation and fake news. Social media spreads false information at an incredible speed, little is ever actually verified. It may result in a confused, distrustful, or polarized public.
Online Trolling and Harassment: However, online harassment and trolling have also made social media a complete haven, at times even along political lines. This makes politicians, activists, and journalists consistent targets of personal attacks, hate speech, and disinformation campaigns, with serious possible implications for their safety and well-being.
Echo Chambers and Polarization: Algorithms on social media only present the user with information that is in their interest and reflects their belief. It creates an “echo chamber” where all the people expose themselves to only those aspects that boost their very own point of view. It is believed to increase political polarization and dampen effective dialogue among individuals holding different viewpoints.
4. Social Media and Business in Nepal
4.1 The Rise of Social Media Marketing
The rise of social media in business and marketing has completely changed the way business is carried out and marketing is done in Nepal. From large companies down to the small ones, they have taken to Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for reaching their target audience, product promotion, and connectivity with customers.
Cost-Effective Marketing
Social media has indeed provided businesses with a means of marketing their products or services economically. Traditional modes, such as print advertisements, radio, and even TV commercials, are prohibitively expensive to afford for small business concerns. Social media, for its part, incurs minimum costs while reaching out to an enormously large audience. Therefore, it also becomes an instant favorite of startups and entrepreneurs.
Customer Engagement and Brand Building
Social media also changes how businesses communicate with their customers. Nowadays, a business can engage with its audience, answer queries, or clear apprehensions about a product. This has helped the businesses in developing a good relationship with their customers, which in return increased brand loyalty.
These advantages of social media have turned it into an important means for extension of their brand by many businesses in Nepal. For example, different local fashion brands have been able to use Instagram as a means to create awareness about their product lines and to attract follow-up customers.
Similarly, restaurants and cafes make use of Facebook and Instagram to communicate about their menu items, customer reviews, and special offers.
4.2 E-Commerce Growth
Social media has undoubtedly played a massive role in developing e-commerce in Nepal. Facebook and Instagram have nowadays become strong avenues for online shopping. Businesses are using social media to present their products and even use those sites for sales. The popularity of social media influencers and bloggers has added to the exponential growth in e-commerce, as they help their followers to discover products and services for sale.
Among other e-commerce local sites, Daraz has inculcated the integration of social media in its marketing strategies, especially through Facebook and Instagram, for consumers to buy certain products. Thus, the convenience in shopping through social media platforms increased access to e-commerce for Nepali consumers, especially in urban areas.
4.3 Challenges of Businesses in Social Media
While social media is a great deal of opportunity for businesses, there are also challenges:
- Competition: The increased competition in social media marketing has created a competitive scenario, in which it will be difficult for every firm operating in the market to make their presence noticed.
- Negative Reviews and Feedback: Social media offers a great platform to customers for voicing their opinions, whether positive or negative. Bad reviews and comments may have negative impacts on a company’s reputation and result in reduced sales.
Algorithmic Changes: Social media platforms change their algorithm quite often. These changes sometimes disturb the visibility of business posts and ads. Because of this, sustainability of online visibility and reaching out to their potential customers becomes difficult for companies.
5. Social Media and Education in Nepal
5.1 Use of Social Media in Education
It has also set a mark in the field of education in Nepal. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, all schools and universities were compelled to shift online. Social media have thus become significant tools for educators and students.
Online Learning and Virtual Classrooms
Zoom, Google Meet, and Facebook are some of the platforms through which online classes have been made possible in the absence of schools. It is through such platforms that teachers share lecture notes, assignments, and resources with students who discuss and work together on projects.
YouTube Educational Contents
YouTube has come to be a very popular media for educational purposes in Nepal. Many tutors and institutions have opened YouTube channels for tutorials, lectures, and study materials. This has made education more accessible, at least to those students in remote areas who do not have access to traditional educational resources.
5.2 Issues of Utilization of Social Media in Education
While social media has opened newer avenues to improve education in Nepal, there is a flip side to the coin:
- Digital Divide: Each and every student does not have access to the needed technology and internet access that would put them in a position to engage in online learning, increasing educational inequalities.
- Distraction and Overuse: Social media distracts students away from academics, since, to a great extent, it does indicate poor productivity and concentration on studies. Overuse of social media can also affect the mental health and well-being of the students.
- Quality of Content: While social media present possibilities to learn about anything, not all information stands to be true or credible. For this reason, students should therefore be able to think more critically and learn to live with the overload of information available on the internet.
6. Social Media and Culture in Nepal
6.1 The Impact on Nepali Traditions and Values
Social media has also brought influence on Nepali culture in the form of the levels at which traditions, values, and social norms were viewed and implemented.
While, on one hand, it has preserved and popularized the Nepali culture by offering a medium to share cultural practices, festivals, and traditions, on the other hand, it has introduced new ideas, values, and lifestyles that at times clash with traditional norms.
Cultural Promotion and Preservation
Social media has facilitated the exchange of cultural ideas between the Nepalese and the rest of the world. Social media sites like Facebook and YouTube assist Nepalese living in other countries to continue with their cultural traditions by utilizing traditional music, dancing, and religious customs.
The youth of Nepal, then, understand and join in the cultural festivals and rituals on social media.
Changing Social Norms
While doing so, social media has also opened up newer ideas and lifeways coming from the rest of the world to Nepalis. These changes have engendered socio-cultural norms and values, especially among the younger generation. For example, changes in perceptions relating to gender roles, relationships, and fashion have been influenced by what is normally presented about these subjects around the world on social media.
6.2 The Rise of Influencers and Online Celebrities
Nepali culture has also been influenced by the influences of social media influencers and online celebrities. Driven to amass a following in their millions, many influencers on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok showcase their lifestyles, fashion choices, and opinions. These influencers at times tend to drive trends and popular culture, especially among younger audiences.
The Influencer culture has also ushered in the issues of materialism, body problems, and the promotion of unrealistic standards concerning beauty and success. According to some critics, such compulsion to conform to these standards results in negative self-esteem, especially for teenagers and young adults.
Conclusion: The Dual-Edged Sword of Social Media in Nepal
Undoubtedly, social media brought significant changes to Nepali society. It changed the way people communicate, reshaped the aspects of political discourses, reoriented businesses, and opened newer opportunities in education. At the same time, it has introduced challenges like misinformation, digital addiction, privacy concerns, and cultural shifts.
With social media continuing to evolve, their impact on Nepali society will continue to swell. It’s all about finding a balance-a balance that embraces the positives of social media and mitigates the negative consequences of its use.
Moreover, promoting digital literacy, responsible usage of social media, and critical thinking will finally help Nepal convert social media into a potent tool for building a more connected, well-informed, and resilient society.
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