Albania to impose tikTok ban in bid to curb youth violence
The Albanian government has announced that from early 2025, it will enforce a year-long ban on TikTok for all citizens. This decision is a response to increasing violence among young people, which Prime Minister Edi Rama attributes to the influence of social media.
Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has declared the implementation of a year-long TikTok ban, which will begin in 2025. This measure aims to curb youth violence, which is believed to originate from social media platforms.
During a meeting in Tirana with teachers and parents, Rama likened TikTok to a "neighbourhood thug." The Prime Minister emphasised that the ban intends to educate young people and assist parents in supervising their children's activities.
response to dramatic events
The introduction of the ban is a reaction to the tragic events of November, when a 14-year-old was killed by a peer following an argument on social media.
TikTok authorities have appealed to the Albanian government for clarification of the decision, pointing out that there was no evidence the perpetrator or the victim had TikTok accounts. Prime Minister Rama noted that Albania is too small to influence the platform's algorithms, which encourage violence and hatred.
