Albania bans TikTok for a year after stabbing of teenager last month

TikTok, asked to comment on Saturday, requested “urgent clarity from the Albanian government” on the case of the stabbed teenager.

The company said it had found “no evidence that the perpetrator or victim had TikTok accounts,” adding that multiple reports indicated the videos linked to the incident were shared on another platform.

The ban, set to take effect early next year, took place after a 14-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in November by a fellow pupil.

Local media had reported that the incident came after arguments between the two boys on social media. Videos had also emerged on TikTok of young people supporting the killing.

Rama criticised TikTok and similar platforms for contributing to youth violence. “The problem today is not our children, the problem today is us, the problem today is our society, the problem today is TikTok and all the others that are taking our children hostage,” he remarked.

Several European countries, including France, Germany, and Belgium, have implemented measures to restrict social media access for children. Meanwhile, Australia introduced one of the strictest regulations globally in November, enforcing a complete social media ban for children under 16.