The temporary closure of TikTok in Albania has caused numerous debates, attracting the attention of international media. “Reuters” agency has dedicated a long report to this issue, bringing different opinions from citizens and experts.

Statement of the Prime Minister and Justification of the Decision
Prime Minister Edi Rama, in December last year, declared:
“Within China’s TikTok, you don’t see hooliganism, perversion, violence, bullying, crime, sharp knives, while on TikTok outside of China, you only see scum and scoundrels. Why do we need this?”
This statement followed a decision to close the app for a year, following a tragic incident where a 14-year-old boy lost his life in an act of youth violence. Rama described this measure as an effort to protect young people and address the spread of inappropriate content on the platform.

Citizens: Pros and Cons
Supporters of the measure see this decision as a necessary step to limit the negative influence that TikTok has on young people: “These kids only watch negative things on TikTok. I think it’s a good decision at the moment,” one citizen told Reuters. Meanwhile, critics, including entrepreneurs who rely on TikTok for marketing and sales, see the ban as punitive:
“I have invested a lot in this way of marketing. This ban will have a big impact on my business,” said a young man who uses TikTok to promote his services in Tirana.

International Impact and Skepticism
Albania is not the only one that has taken such measures. TikTok has been banned in full or in part in at least 20 countries, including France, Germany and Belgium, mainly for security reasons and inappropriate content. On the other hand, some civil society groups and political representatives are skeptical of the decision. Critics suggest that the measure may have political motives, considering it an attack on opponents of the government.

TikTok reaction
The company TikTok itself has asked for clarity from the Albanian government, clarifying that the tragic event that led to this decision was not directly related to the platform. “The victim did not have an account on TikTok, and reports confirm that the videos that led to the tragic event were posted on another platform ,” the company said in a statement.

Alternatives and Future Developments
While some businesses are looking for alternative ways to continue online marketing, it remains to be seen how this decision will affect the use of similar platforms in Albania in the long term. Discussions about the effects of TikTok’s shutdown are just the beginning of a broader debate over social media regulation.