Albania To Ban TikTok for a Year After Fatal Stabbing of Teen

Albania’s prime minister, Edi Rama, announced a year-long ban on the popular video-sharing platform TikTok on December 21. The Albanian government made this decision after a 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed, triggering widespread concern over social media’s role in child violence.

Authorities say the incident began with a physical confrontation before continuing on TikTok, ending in the teen’s death. Albanian officials held over 1,300 meetings with parent councils to address how online platforms might fuel youth violence. Sources also say minors posted videos celebrating the killing on TikTok in the days following the stabbing.

Banning TikTok is one of several measures in a new school safety plan, which includes heightened security in schools, mobile phone monitoring, and a nationwide support network. The plan is set to roll out in February 2025.

“For one year, we’ll be completely shutting it down for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania,” Rama said. Researchers note that Albanian children are the country’s largest user base.

In response, TikTok told the Associated Press it “found no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts, and multiple reports have, in fact, confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok.” The company also requested “urgent clarity from the Albanian government.”

Rama responded with a public statement on X: “TikTok has no grounds to demand clarifications from Albania because, in Albania, it is Albanians who make the decisions, not the owners of TikTok’s algorithm.”

Not everyone supports the ban. Some Albanian users and opposition party members have voiced dissatisfaction, calling it a violation of free speech. “The dictatorial decision to close the social media platform TikTok … is a grave act against freedom of speech and democracy,” said Ina Zhupa, a Democratic Party of Albania parliament member.

Albania joins a recent wave of global governments seeking to ban TikTok over a series of different concerns, including Australia’s blanket ban of the app for kids under 16 and the US’ implementation of a law that would ban TikTok over national security concerns.