Albania to Ban TikTok for a Year Starting 2025 After 14-Year-Old's Killing

Dec 22, 2024, 08:33 AM

Albania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok starting from the beginning of 2025, following the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in mid-November after a quarrel that began on the platform. Prime Minister Edi Rama described TikTok as "the thug of the neighborhood" and declared, "We are going to chase this thug out of our neighborhood for one year." The government made the decision after holding over 1,300 meetings with teachers, parents, and psychologists, citing concerns over the platform inciting violence and bullying among children. The ban reflects growing fears over the influence of social media on youth.