Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has confirmed that the government plans to block access to TikTok for one year, in response to the killing of a 14-year-old student last month. The tragic incident, which has raised concerns about the influence of social media on children, will prompt the ban to take effect in January 2024.
Rama made the announcement on Saturday, stating that the ban is a necessary measure to protect young people from the potential dangers posed by the platform. TikTok has expressed its intention to seek urgent clarification from the Albanian government regarding the proposed ban. In a statement to the BBC, the social media company reported that it found no evidence to suggest that either the alleged attacker or the victim had TikTok accounts.
During a meeting in Tirana with teachers, parents, and psychologists, Rama referred to TikTok as “the thug of the neighborhood” and outlined the government’s strategy for the coming year. “We are going to close it for a year and we are going to start rolling out programs that will serve the education of students and help parents follow their children’s journey,” he said.
The decision to block TikTok comes less than a month after a violent altercation in southern Tirana, in which a 14-year-old student was fatally stabbed and another was injured. The confrontation, which occurred near a school, was reportedly sparked by a dispute on social media. This incident has ignited a nationwide debate in Albania about the impact of social networks on young people, with many parents, educators, and mental health professionals expressing concerns.
Rama highlighted the stark contrast between TikTok’s content in different regions, particularly comparing its content in China to other countries. “In China, TikTok promotes how students can take courses, how to protect nature, how to keep traditions, but on TikTok outside China, we see only scum and mud. Why do we need this?” he asked.
TikTok is already banned in several countries, including India, which was once one of its largest markets before the app was outlawed in June 2020. The app is also blocked in Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia. Additionally, TikTok is facing legal challenges in the United States, where Congress has passed a law that would ban the app unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it by January 19. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikTok’s legal arguments on January 10, just days before the deadline.
In Europe, several countries, including France, Germany, and Belgium, have imposed restrictions on social media usage for children. Australia recently passed the world’s strictest measures, voting to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, though this ban will take at least a year to fully implement. In the UK, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has suggested that a similar ban for under-16s is “on the table,” but emphasized the need for more evidence before making a decision.
However, not everyone agrees with Albania’s plan to block TikTok. Ina Zhupa, a lawmaker from the opposition Democratic Party, criticized the decision as an infringement on freedom of speech and democracy. “The dictatorial decision to close the social media platform TikTok is a grave act against freedom of speech and democracy,” Zhupa said. “It is a pure electoral act and abuse of power to suppress freedoms.”