Albania blocks TikTok for one year for the sake of youth safety
Kyiv • UNN
Albanian authorities have blocked TikTok for 12 months to protect young people after the death of a 14-year-old boy. The decision has sparked criticism over restrictions on freedom of speech and possible censorship.
The annual government ban on TikTok in Albania came into effect on Thursday, March 13.
UNN reports with reference to Reuters.
The ban, first announced last December by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, came after a tragic incident: the death of a 14-year-old student in Tirana, who was killed in a fight after a social media dispute.
The decision to block TikTok was made after consultation with 65,000 parents and teachers to ensure the safety of children, including the Albanian language.
It is currently known that the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority has ordered the country's Internet providers to block access to the application until midnight, stopping the use of the popular platform for the next 12 months. According to this decision, TikTok users in Albania are already experiencing difficulties accessing the popular application.
At the same time, a dialogue is underway with TikTok to find solutions to enhance user safety.
Meanwhile, the country considers this decision to be a manifestation of censorship.
Isa Mizirai, head of the Association of Journalists of Albania (AJA), said the group would take the case to the Constitutional Court, arguing that the ban restricts freedom of speech and is censorship.
We fear that in this way, the government may close other social networks and one day even completely ban the Internet
Opposition parties have accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of seeking to silence dissent by shutting down a platform often used to voice criticism, especially when they believe the government is tightening its grip on mainstream media. Rama's government denies these accusations.
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