The Albanian government has announced plans to block access to TikTok for a year following the tragic killing of a 14-year-old boy, raising concerns about the impact of social media on children.
Prime Minister Edi Rama attributed the proposed ban to the platform’s role in inciting violence and bullying, especially among young people.
The boy was fatally stabbed last month, reportedly by a fellow student, after an altercation on social media between the two.
Although Chinese-owned TikTok claims that neither of them had accounts on the app, it has requested clarification from the Albanian government regarding the incident.
This incident ignited a broader discussion about the influence of social media on children.
As children make up a significant portion of TikTok users in the country, Mr. Rama declared after meeting with parents and educators, “For one year, we will completely shut it down for everyone.
“There will be no TikTok in Albania.”
He further stated, “The issue today is not our children, but rather us, our society, TikTok, and other platforms that are exerting negative influence on our children.”
The ban is part of a broader initiative to enhance safety in schools.
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama has spoken out against social media. Pic: Reuters
Authorities have implemented various protective measures, including increased police presence, training programs, and closer collaboration with parents.
The prime minister’s office cited China as a model where TikTok “prevents children from being lured into harmful content”.
However, it noted that Albania lacks the influence to compel TikTok to alter its algorithm to discourage harmful content promoting “hatred, violence, and bullying”.
A TikTok spokesperson clarified, “We have not found any evidence linking the incident’s perpetrator or victim to TikTok accounts, and it has been confirmed that videos leading up to the incident were posted on another platform, not TikTok.”
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While Mr. Rama’s decision to seek a TikTok ban received support, some in the country, such as Ina Zhupa from Albania’s main opposition Democratic Party, criticized it as a dictatorial act against freedom of speech and democracy.
“It is a clear abuse of power and an electoral ploy to suppress freedoms,” she stated.
Australia has approved a total social media ban for children under 16, while the UK has no current plans for such prohibitions.
Recently, TikTok lost an appeal against a planned ban in the US.
The law, signed by US President Joe Biden in April, requires TikTok to sever ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance by mid-January or face a ban in the US amid concerns that user data could be shared with the Chinese government, despite the company’s assurances to the contrary.