Albania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok, the popular short video app, following the recent killing of a teenager.

This incident has raised concerns about the impact of social media on children. The ban is part of a larger effort to improve school safety and will go into effect early next year, according to Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He made this decision after meeting with parents’ groups and teachers from all over the country. Rama stated, “For one year, we will completely shut down TikTok for everyone.

There will be no TikTok in Albania.” TikTok has not yet responded to requests for comment outside of regular business hours. Several European countries, such as France, Germany, and Belgium, have already implemented restrictions on social media use for children.

Australia also recently approved a complete ban on social media for children under 16, making it one of the strictest regulations targeting Big Tech in the world.

Rama has pointed to social media, especially TikTok, as a factor in escalating violence among young people both in and out of school.

This decision by the government comes after a 14-year-old student was fatally stabbed by a classmate in November.

Reports indicated that the incident was preceded by online arguments between the two boys, with videos on TikTok showing minors supporting the killing.

Rama emphasized, “The problem today is not our children, but us. The problem today is our society, TikTok, and other platforms that are negatively impacting our children.”