Albanian officials said Thursday that they planned to shut down TikTok in the next days, carrying out a ban declared is tiktok getting banned in December.
“Competent authorities, in cooperation with internet providers and technology platforms, will take the necessary measures to implement this decision in a few days or up to a week from now,” said Education Minister Ogerta Manastirliu, who added that the ban will last 12 months.
Albania Moves to Ban TikTok Over Youth Safety Concerns Following Tragic Teen Death
Prime Minister Edi Rama imposed the ban months ago, following a social media altercation that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old student and the injury of another in a brawl outside a school in Tirana.
The death spurred a nationwide debate among parents, psychologists, and educational institutions regarding the influence of social media on young people.
In a message issued on Thursday, Rama stated that discussions with TikTok were still underway following conversations with hundreds of parents and teachers.
“We have started a very positive dialogue with TikTok, whose representatives will soon be coming to Albania to present us with a series of measures aimed at increasing children’s safety” , Ra said.
The opposition condemned the measure, claiming that it will hamper their campaigning efforts ahead of the May legislative elections.
“With this act of censorship affecting more than one million TikTok users in Albania, Edi Rama is putting Albania on par with Afghanistan and Iran,” opposition leader Sali Berisha stated during a news conference in Tirana.
TikTok’s massive global popularity can be attributed in part to the attractiveness of its “challenges” – an interactive call to action that pushes users to make videos involving dances, jokes, or games that can become viral.
The site draws young people with an endless stream of ultra-brief videos, and it has over one billion active users globally.
Neighbouring nations such as Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Serbia have all complained that the platform has a harmful influence, particularly on youth.
TikTok has been accused of spying in the United States, and the European Union is investigating reports that it was used to tilt Romania’s presidential election in favour of a far-right contender.
In other nations, the platform’s use by governmental institution staff has also been prohibited.
