In response to bullying and violence that included the killing of a teenager last month, Albania announced Saturday that it is blocking the use of TikTok in the nation for a year. The ban suspension is part of a school safety plan to take effect early in the new year. Prime Minister Edi Rama has blamed social media for driving violence among young people—especially TikTok, Reuters reports. "We'll be completely shutting it down for everyone," he said. "There will be no TikTok in Albania."
A 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death last month by another teenager after a quarrel began on TikTok, per the AP. Officials then held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents, who have said children have been taking knives and other potential weapons to school to use in quarrels or bullying promoted by stories they saw on TikTok. Research shows children make up the biggest group of TikTok users in Albania, per the Guardian. Other steps planned include greater protective measures at schools such as an increased police presence, new training programs, and closer cooperation with parents.
Albania is too small to change TikTok's algorithm to keep it from promoting "the reproduction of the unending hell of the language of hatred, violence, bullying and so on," Rama's office wrote in an email to the AP. Rama said the government will make its decision on whether to permit TikTok to resume operations within its borders after monitoring how the company and other countries respond to the suspension. An opposition lawmaker called the decision "a pure electoral act and abuse of power to suppress freedoms." (More TikTok stories.)
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