Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced plans to ban TikTok for at least one year, starting in January, after the death of a schoolboy sparked concerns about the platform’s impact on children.
“We are going to close it for a year and introduce programs to educate students and help parents monitor their children’s online activities,” said Rama during a meeting with teachers, parents, and psychologists in Tirana on Saturday.
The debate over the harmful effects of social media intensified following a fatal incident in southern Tirana, where a 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a fight reportedly initiated on social media.
“In China, TikTok promotes educational content, environmental awareness, and cultural traditions. But outside China, we only see filth and negativity. Why should we tolerate this?” said Rama, referring to TikTok as “the thug of the neighborhood.”
This move adds to TikTok’s growing challenges globally, with the platform facing criticism over national security risks and its influence on children. The company has sought clarification from Albania regarding the proposed ban, asserting there is no evidence that either the victim or the attacker in the Tirana incident had TikTok accounts.
TikTok is already banned in countries like India, Iran, and Somalia. In the U.S., the platform faces a potential ban by January 19 unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests ownership over security concerns. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear TikTok’s legal arguments against the ban on January 10.