The Albanian government has begun the process of blocking TikTok in the country, with Prime Minister Edi Rama stating that the social media platform will be in complete “blackout” within 15 days.
According to Rama, the decision was made following consultations with teachers and parents, with 95% supporting the ban. He emphasized that the move was taken to protect children from unfiltered content.
“We have decided to shut it down after consulting with 95% of parents and teachers. This was not a political decision but one made for the well-being of our children. TikTok will not be allowed to continue infiltrating our homes with unchecked content,” Rama said.
Despite the ban, Rama mentioned that the government is in discussions with TikTok’s parent company regarding potential safeguards. He noted that while the platform’s algorithm effectively filters harmful content in English, it lacks similar protections for Albanian content.
“To be fair, they have responded better than expected and have promised to present a plan to introduce protective measures. Once they are ready, they will come to Albania and publicly explain what changes will be implemented,” he added.
The technical shutdown of TikTok is already underway, with access being gradually restricted. Rama assured that within 10-15 days, the platform will be entirely blocked in Albania.
