Nation bans TikTok for promoting violence among kids

A country has blocked access to TikTok, blaming it for promoting violence among children following the killing of a teenager.

Albania has banned TikTok, blaming it for promoting violence among children after the fatal stabbing of a teenager.

Albania’s prime minister announced the government intends to block access to the social media platform for one year, saying the site incites youth crime and bullying.

Albania will shut down social network TikTok for at a least a year. Picture: AFP

Authorities held 1,300 meetings with teachers and parents after a 14-year-old student was killed and another injured in a fight near a school last month in Tirana.

The fight had allegedly developed from an online confrontation on TikTok.

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

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says children must be protected. Picture: AFP

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, speaking at a meeting with teachers and parents, said TikTok “would be fully closed for all. There will be no TikTok in the Republic of Albania”.

Mr Rama said the shutdown would begin next year but didn’t specify a date.

“In China, TikTok promotes how students can take courses, how to protect nature, how to keep traditions,” he said.

“But on the TikTok outside China we see only scum and mud. Why do we need this?”

TikTok said it had “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.”

Neighbouring countries such as Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia have also reported a negative impact of the platform, with cases of self-harm blamed on dangerous TikTok challenges.