Albania Bans TikTok for One Year

TIRANA (Reuters) – Albania announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the popular short video app, following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children.

The ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, will come into effect early next year, Prime Minister Edi Rama said after meeting with parents’ groups and teachers from across the country.

“For one year, we’ll be completely shutting it down for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania,” Rama said.

Several European countries, including France, Germany, and Belgium, have enforced restrictions on social media use for children. Australia approved a complete social media ban for children under 16 in November, among the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.

Rama has blamed social media, particularly TikTok, for fuelling violence among youth in and outside school. His government’s decision follows the stabbing death of a 14-year-old schoolboy in November by a fellow pupil after arguments on social media. Videos emerged on TikTok of minors supporting the killing.

“The problem today is not our children; the problem today is us, our society, TikTok, and all others that are taking our children hostage,” Rama said.

TikTok sought “urgent clarity” from the Albanian government, stating that they found no evidence linking the perpetrator or victim to TikTok accounts, with reports indicating the videos were posted on another platform.