TikTok users in Albania reported difficulties accessing the popular video app on Thursday, as a one-year government ban officially came into force, driven by concerns that social media is contributing to youth violence both in and out of schools.
The ban places Albania among more than 20 countries that have either fully or partially restricted TikTok, amid growing fears over inappropriate content and security risks linked to the app’s Chinese owner, ByteDance.
By midday Thursday, some Albanian users said they could no longer access TikTok through web browsers.
“I can see that TikTok is no longer accessible on the web, but the app is still working — for now,” said Ermal Hoxha, 28, from Tirana. Attempts to visit the site returned an error message: “This site can’t be reached. Check if there is a typo in www.tiktok.com.”
A government official confirmed to Reuters that while the web ban was already in effect, app access would also be blocked in the coming days.
The National Authority for Cybersecurity has ordered all internet service providers to submit written confirmation that TikTok access would be fully cut off by Thursday.
The ban stems from a deadly incident last year when a 14-year-old boy was fatally stabbed by a classmate following a dispute allegedly fueled by social media arguments. The government announced the TikTok ban in December, a month after the attack.
TikTok, however, has pushed back, saying its own investigation showed the videos tied to the incident were posted on a different platform, not TikTok. The company said it had requested further clarification from Albanian authorities.
The decision has sparked accusations of censorship. Isa Myzyraj, head of the Association of Journalists in Albania, said the group plans to challenge the ban in the Constitutional Court, arguing it infringes on freedom of expression.
“We fear that the government could use this as a precedent to shut down other social networks — and, one day, even ban the internet entirely,” Myzyraj said.
Opposition parties have also condemned the ban, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of trying to stifle dissent. They argue TikTok has become a platform for voicing criticism, especially as — in their view — the government tightens its grip on mainstream media.
The Democratic Party, the largest opposition group, has called for a protest on Saturday outside government offices to demand the ban be reversed.
Rama, for his part, has defended the ban, accusing TikTok of pushing “scum and scoundrels” content outside of China.
