Albania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the widely popular short video app, following the tragic killing of a teenager last month. The incident raised alarm over the impact of social media on young people, prompting the government to take action. The ban is part of a broader initiative to improve school safety and will go into effect early next year, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama, who made the announcement after a meeting with parents’ groups and teachers from across the nation.
“For one year, we will completely shut it down for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania,” Rama stated. The government’s decision follows growing concerns about the role social media, especially TikTok, plays in exacerbating violence among youth.
The move comes after a 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed in November by a classmate, following an argument that reportedly started on social media. Local media outlets reported that TikTok videos even emerged where minors expressed support for the killing. Rama criticized the platform for contributing to a toxic online environment that has real-world consequences, saying, “The problem today is not our children, it’s us. It’s our society. It’s TikTok and others that are holding our children hostage.”
This action by Albania follows similar moves in other countries. Several European nations, including France, Germany, and Belgium, have placed restrictions on social media use for minors. Furthermore, Australia took a bold step in November, implementing a sweeping ban on social media for children under the age of 16, making it one of the strictest regulations in the world targeting big tech companies.
TikTok has yet to respond to requests for comment on the Albanian ban. As concerns about the safety of young people online continue to grow, governments around the world are under increasing pressure to address the influence of social media platforms.
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