Wubi News

Albania declares one-year TikTok ban over stabbing

2024-12-22 08:00:11

During a meeting in Albania's capital Tirana with teachers, parents and psychologists Rama branded TikTok as "the thug of the neighbourhood".

"We are going to close it for a year and we are going to start rolling out programs that will serve the education of students and help parents follow their children's journey," Rama said.

Edi Rama described the content on TikTok as "scum and mud"

The blocking of TikTok comes less than a month after the 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a fight near a school in southern Tirana which had its roots in a confrontation on social media.

The killing sparked a debate in Albania among parents, psychologists and educational institutions about the impact of social networks on young people.

"In China, TikTok promotes how students can take courses, how to protect nature, how to keep traditions, but on the TikTok outside China we see only scum and mud. Why do we need this?", Rama said.

TikTok is already banned in India, which was one of the app's largest markets before it was outlawed in June 2020. It is also blocked in Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan and Somalia.

TikTok is also fighting against a law passed by the US Congress which would ban the app from 19 January unless it is sold by ByteDance - its Chinese parent company.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear last-minute legal arguments from TikTok as to why it should not be banned or sold with a hearing scheduled for 10 January - just days before the 19 January deadline imposed by Congress.

The US government is taking action against the app because of what it says are its links to the Chinese state - links which TikTok and ByteDance have denied.