The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Ramaannounced this Saturday that the country will block the platform for a year TikTok to protect the youngest from the negative effects of this social networkestimating that the measure will come into force around next February.
“We closed TikTok for a year. We have done our research on the technological side; we will need 6 to 8 weeks starting at the beginning of next year and for a year we will close it completely for everyone,” the president said at a government event.
“There will be no TikTok in the Republic of Albania. Then, during that year, we will see how other countries will behave,” Rama added, according to the newspaper Dritare.
The decision is part of a new comprehensive school safety plan, following the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old student by a classmate near a school in Tirana, which occurred last November.
The homicide resulted from a confrontation in social networks and it was spread by other students in media such as TikTok, according to the press, which has caused a deep debate in society.
The Minister of Education, Ogerta Manastirliualso explained today that the ban on TikTok is part of a package of measures to “increase security physical and digital in schools and to protect children from the negative effects of social media.
The Government will also increase the number of social workers and psychologists in schools, with 350 new positions in the next two years, explained the minister, according to the digital Koha.net.
