The federal government’s determination comes after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to loss of life by a classmate following a social media battle.
Albania has introduced a ban on TikTok for one yr after the killing of an adolescent final month raised issues over the affect of social media on youngsters.
The ban of the favored video app will come into impact early subsequent yr, Prime Minister Edi Rama stated on Saturday after assembly with dad and mom teams and lecturers from throughout the nation.
“For one yr, we’ll be fully shutting it down for everybody. There will probably be no TikTok in Albania,” Rama stated.
There was no speedy remark from TikTok.
The Albanian authorities’s determination comes after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to loss of life in November by a classmate after arguments between the 2 boys started on social media. Albanian authorities held 1,300 conferences with lecturers and oldsters following the stabbing.
Rama has blamed TikTok particularly for fuelling violence amongst youth in and outdoors faculty.
Movies had emerged on the app of minors supporting the killing.
“The issue immediately shouldn’t be our kids. The issue immediately is us. The issue immediately is our society. The issue immediately is TikTok and all of the others which are taking our kids hostage,” Rama stated.
The prime minister stated Albania would see how the corporate and different international locations react to the one-year shutdown earlier than deciding whether or not to permit the corporate to renew operations.
The opposition has rejected the federal government’s determination to ban the app.
“The dictatorial determination to shut the social media platform TikTok … is a grave act towards freedom of speech and democracy,” stated Ina Zhupa, a lawmaker from the principle opposition Democratic Celebration.
“It’s a pure electoral act and abuse of energy to suppress freedoms.”
A number of European international locations, together with France, Germany and Belgium, have enforced restrictions on social media use for kids.
In one of many world’s hardest laws, Australia authorized in November a complete social media ban for kids below 16.
TikTok has additionally confronted accusations of espionage in america and is below investigation by the European Union over claims it was used to sway Romania’s presidential election in favour of a far-right candidate.
TikTok attracts younger folks particularly with its seemingly endless scroll of brief movies and has multiple billion energetic customers worldwide.
