Albania on Saturday announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the popular short video app, following the killing of a teenager last month that raised fears over the influence of social media on children. <\/p>\n
The ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, will come into effect early next year, Prime Minister Edi Rama said after meeting with parents\u2019 groups and teachers from across the country. <\/p>\n
\u201cFor one year, we\u2019ll be completely shutting it down for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania,\u201d Rama said. <\/p>\n
Several European countries including France, Germany and Belgium have enforced restrictions on social media use for children. In one of the world\u2019s toughest regulations targeting Big Tech, Australia approved in November a complete social media ban for children under 16. <\/p>\n
Rama has blamed social media, and TikTok in particular, for fueling violence among youth in and outside school. <\/p>\n
His government\u2019s decision comes after a 14-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in November by a fellow pupil. Local media had reported that the incident followed arguments between the two boys on social media. Videos had also emerged on TikTok of minors supporting the killing. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d Rama said. <\/p>\n
TikTok said it was seeking \u201curgent clarity\u201d from the Albanian government. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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,\u201d a company spokesperson said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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