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In Tirana, entrepreneur Ergus Katiay posts a video on TikTok every evening to remind customers that his shop delivers chips, alcohol and cigarettes even at night. Thanks to the app, his business brings in an additional €1,000 a month.
However, Katiyu will soon have to look for other ways to attract customers. The Albanian government has announced a one-year ban on TikTok, arguing that it is fighting youth violence. The move has sparked a wave of criticism from human rights activists and entrepreneurs, who see it as a threat to freedom of speech and commerce ahead of the May elections.
“This will hit my business hard, because most of my sales come from free advertising on TikTok,” Katiai told Reuters.
Why did the government make this decision?
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced a ban on TikTok on 21 December following the tragic murder of a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by a classmate. According to Rama, the crime was the result of an online conflict between teenagers. The ban is expected to take effect in the coming weeks.
Rama noted that this decision was made in consultation with parents and teachers:
“In the Chinese version of TikTok, you won’t see any hooliganism, violence or harassment. But outside of China, the platform has become a source of chaos. Why do we need this?”
Impact on business and society
Albania has joined a list of more than 20 countries that have partially or fully restricted TikTok due to concerns about data security and inappropriate content. However, the move has drawn serious criticism.
Orkidea Jaferay from the SCiDEV Research Centre noted that the ban sets a dangerous precedent:
“It gives governments the ability to shut down platforms when it suits them.”
Entrepreneurs such as Katiai warn that the restrictions will have a negative impact on small businesses that actively use TikTok for advertising.
Political context
Human rights activists and the opposition accuse the government of attempting to suppress political debate. In particular, the new political force Razom believes that TikTok was a key tool for communicating with voters:
“[The government] wants to silence us,” said Arlind Kory, the party’s leader.
Last year, mass protests took place in Albania, during which demonstrators threw Molotov cocktails at government buildings and police used tear gas.
TikTok said it was seeking clarification from the Albanian authorities, noting that the videos that led to the conflict between the teenagers were published on another platform.
The decision to ban TikTok has prompted a debate on the balance between security, freedom of speech and the impact of social media on society. In a country with a tense political situation, the move appears to be part of a broader government strategy to control the information space ahead of the elections.
