Study Finds 34% of Gen-Z Protest Accounts Were Fake

Kathmandu: A study has found that fake accounts were widely active on social media during the recent Gen-Z uprising in Nepal. According to a report released by cybersecurity and social media analysis firm Cyabra, 34 percent of social media accounts linked to the movement were fake and were used to spread an organized anti-government sentiment.

The report, titled “Nepal Protests 2025: Online Narratives and Fake Profile Influence,” revealed how online discussions shaped the movement and how fake accounts influenced public opinion.

The study concluded that out of 3,685 profiles analyzed on X, 1,288 or 34 percent were fake. Although the number may appear small, the impact was significant. Out of the total 1.4 million interactions related to the movement, 11.5 percent (over 164,000) were generated by these fake accounts.

Their content reached up to 326 million people, accounting for 14 percent of the total potential reach.

According to Cyabra, these fake accounts joined the online debate using hashtags created by real users, such as #GenZProtest, #WakeUpNepal, and #EnoughIsEnough. They amplified anti-government and anti-police claims, supported the protests, and encouraged people to join street demonstrations.

The report identified three major narratives that dominated the online conversation: the youth-led democratic movement portraying young people as agents of change; police repression and state violence, depicting the government as oppressive; and a political crisis, calling for the resignation of leaders, including then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The study further noted that on September 6 and 7, social media saw a surge in posts urging participation in the September 8 protests, many using AI-generated images. However, after the protests turned violent on September 8 and 9, the tone of online discussions shifted to focus on anger and violence, the report said.

 

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