Albania has banned TikTok for one year, citing concerns about the safety of children on the platform.
Albania’s government has officially approved a year-long ban on TikTok, as announced by Education Minister Ogerta Manastirliu on Thursday. The decision follows growing governmental concerns regarding violence and bullying, particularly affecting children, on the platform.
Prime Minister Edi Rama initially announced the ban in late December, shortly after a 14-year-old student was fatally stabbed by a classmate following a social media dispute. The ban is set to take effect imminently.
Rama stated on Thursday that the restriction’s approval was based on consultations with approximately 65,000 parents, many of whom supported limiting or blocking access to TikTok. He emphasized ongoing “positive dialogue with the company,” and mentioned that TikTok representatives are scheduled to visit Albania soon to propose “measures to enhance child safety.”
Minister Manastirliu stated that Albanian officials are collaborating with TikTok to implement tools that regulate children’s access and restrict harmful content.
The ban will remain until TikTok integrates necessary filters such as parental controls, age verification, and adds Albanian language support to the application, according to the minister.
TikTok initially opposed the potential ban when it was first suggested in December. AP reported that the company sought “urgent clarity from the Albanian government,” and stated that neither the victim nor the perpetrator of the fatal stabbing were TikTok users.
Albania applied for EU membership in 2009, becoming a candidate in 2014. The EU held its first intergovernmental conference with Albania in 2022.
ByteDance, registered in the Cayman Islands, developed TikTok and its Chinese version, Douyin. The platform’s Chinese origins have led to increased scrutiny from numerous Western governments.
Earlier this week, the UK’s data protection authority announced an investigation into how TikTok utilizes personal data from users aged 13-17 to generate content recommendations.
The U.S. is currently attempting to force ByteDance to divest its American operations, citing national security issues. ByteDance has until April 5 to comply.
TikTok is also under investigation within the EU regarding claims it was used in a campaign supporting Romanian independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu.