Albania decides to ban TikTok for one year

Following the stabbing death of a 14-year-old child by a schoolmate last week, Albania has decided to ban the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok for all users for one year, citing its role in increasing violence among youth.

Government officials, who have been holding meetings with parent groups and teachers across the country, plan to implement the TikTok ban in early 2024 as part of a series of measures aimed at increasing safety in schools.

Commenting on the ban, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said, "We will shut down TikTok completely for one year. There will be no TikTok in Albania. The problem today is not our children, it is us; our society and the other elements that affect our children along with TikTok."

A TikTok spokesperson stated that they found no evidence that either the perpetrator or the victim had accounts on the platform, and further noted that multiple reports regarding the incident indicated that the violent videos were published on a different platform, not TikTok.

While many European countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium have imposed restrictions on social media use for children under 18, Australia recently passed a bill indefinitely banning social media use for children under 16, citing its negative impact on mental health.

News Source: 12punto