Albania announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the popular short-video app, on Saturday following the murder of a teenager last month, which sparked fears about social media's influence on the children.
The ban, part of a broader plan to make schools safer, will come into force early next year, Prime Minister Edi Rama said after meeting with groups of parents and teachers from the whole country.
“For a year we are going to stop everything for everyone. There will be no TikTok in Albania,” Mr Rama said.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of business hours.
Several European countries, including France, Germany and Belgium, have imposed restrictions on children's use of social media. In one of the world's toughest regulations targeting Big Tech, Australia in November approved a total ban on social media for children under 16.
Rama accused social media, and TikTok in particular, of fueling violence among young people in and out of school.
His government's decision comes after a 14-year-old schoolboy was stabbed to death in November by one of his classmates. Local media had reported that the incident occurred following arguments between the two boys on social media. Videos were also posted on TikTok showing minors supporting the killing.
“The 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 who take our children as hostages,” Ms. Rama said.
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