Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on December 21 that the government plans to shut down social network TikTok for at least a year, starting from January 2025. The decision comes after a tragic incident in which a 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a school fight sparked by a confrontation on TikTok.
Rama stated that “TikTok is the troublemaker” of the community, emphasizing the need to “chase this troublemaker out of our neighborhood.” He also vowed to implement programs focused on education and parental involvement. The move aims to address concerns about social networks’ impact on young people, echoing Rama’s question: “Why do we need this?”
The ban is a response to TikTok’s reputation for promoting short, engaging videos that can be detrimental to users. The platform has faced scrutiny over its alleged role in espionage and election interference. With over 1 billion active users worldwide, Albania joins several countries in banning the app from state institutions.
Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/pixels/article/2024/12/21/albania-to-shut-down-tiktok-for-a-year-says-prime-minister_6736346_13.html