Albania set to ban TikTok in 2025 amid youth violence rise
The Albanian government announced that starting in early 2025, it will impose a year-long ban on TikTok for all citizens. The decision is a response to the growing violence among youth, which Prime Minister Edi Rama attributes to the influence of social media.
Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasized that the ban, starting in 2025, aims to decrease youth violence stemming from social media platforms like TikTok.
During a meeting in Tirana with teachers and parents, Rama described TikTok as a "neighborhood thug." The Prime Minister stressed that the ban is intended to educate young people and assist parents in monitoring their children's activities.
Response to dramatic events
The introduction of the ban responds to the tragic events last November, when a 14-year-old was killed by a peer after an argument on social media.
TikTok authorities have appealed to the Albanian government for clarification, highlighting 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 promote violence and hatred.
