Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced that his government will ban TikTok for at least one year, starting in January, following the tragic death of a schoolboy last month.
This incident has intensified concerns over the impact of the popular video-sharing platform on children.
During a meeting with teachers, parents, and psychologists in Tirana on Saturday, Rama explained that the ban would be implemented alongside educational programs designed to support students and help parents monitor their children’s online activity.
The discussions about social media’s negative influence on young people were amplified after a violent confrontation near a school in southern Tirana, which reportedly began on social media. A 14-year-old student was fatally stabbed, and another was injured.
Rama criticized TikTok, comparing it to “the thug of the neighbourhood” and lamented the content seen outside China, where the platform promotes educational and environmental initiatives. “In China, TikTok promotes how students can take courses, protect nature, and preserve traditions, but outside China, we see only ‘scum and mud.’ Why do we need this?” he said.
This marks another setback for TikTok, which has faced growing scrutiny over its influence on children and its potential threats to national security in several countries.
In response to Albania’s proposed ban, TikTok stated it is seeking urgent clarification from the government, noting that there was no evidence the suspect or the victim in the stabbing incident had TikTok accounts.
The app is already banned in countries such as India, Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Somalia.
Meanwhile, the United States is considering a similar ban, with Congress passing a bill that would prohibit the app unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it by January 19 due to national security concerns.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear TikTok’s legal arguments on January 10 as it seeks to prevent the ban or forced sale.