- Albania fears the negative impact of social media on minors
- TikTok raises national security concerns in the US
- Trump, who wanted to ban TikTok in his first term, has now changed his mind
Albania fears the negative impact of social media on minors
Last month, a 14-year-old boy was allegedly stabbed to death by a classmate following an argument on the social platform TikTok. The incident sparked a national debate in Albania about the impact of social media on young people, and in the West, there is already growing talk that the platform should be banned globally.
In response to the attack, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced plans to block TikTok in the country for one year from the beginning of next year. Rama specifically accused the platform of promoting violence and bullying among young people[1].
The Chinese-owned TikTok has denied any link to the tragedy, saying that neither the victim nor the alleged perpetrator had accounts on its platform, and demanded an explanation from the Albanian government. Nevertheless, E. Rama defended that such drastic restrictions are necessary as TikTok and similar platforms harm children and society.
He said that the real problem is "not our children" or their inadequate upbringing, but society in general and platforms like TikTok that allegedly hold children hostage.
The ban is part of improving school safety, including increased police presence, training programs, and cooperation with parents. Rama also criticized the TikTok algorithm, saying it promotes harmful content in Albania while it is more regulated in his home country, China.
However, such a ban is far from universally supported. Ina Zupa of the opposition Democratic Party called it a "dictatorial decision" and an attack on freedom of speech. She said it was an abuse of power and just another political move[2].
The proposed ban on TikTok in Albania reflects global concerns about social media. Australia, for example, recently banned the use of social media by children under 16, while the UK has no such restrictions.
TikTok is also under pressure in the US, where it has until January to cut ties with its Chinese parent company ByteDance. This is due to fears of possible data sharing with the Chinese government, which TikTok has repeatedly denied.
TikTok raises national security concerns in the US
Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court is set to review a law that could lead to TikTok being banned nationwide unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests its ownership. The law, passed in April, requires ByteDance to sell TikTok by 19 January, or the app will be removed from US app stores and web hosting services.
For its part, TikTok has asked the Supreme Court to temporarily block the law, with a decision on the injunction due by 6 January. Although TikTok argues that selling the app is not an option, extending the legal battle may allow time for a decision.
The US Court of Appeals rejected TikTok's appeal, citing national security risks, including possible data collection and content manipulation by the Chinese government.
If the law is upheld, the acceptance of new TikTok downloads will be blocked, and updates from existing users will be stopped. The heads of the China Committee of the House of Representatives have already instructed Apple and Google to prepare to remove TikTok by the deadline[3].
Louisiana banned TikTok on state-owned devices and networks in 2023, but a nationwide ban would overshadow such a state-level action. The Supreme Court's decision will determine the future of the app in the US amidst debates on national security and freedom of speech.
Trump, who wanted to ban TikTok in his first term, has now changed his mind
President-elect Donald Trump, who sought to ban social networks in the States during his first term in office, now seems to be taking a slightly softer line. Trump cited the platform's high engagement, including the billions of views on his account, as a reason for changing his mind.
At the AmericaFest festival, Trump said that his team had shown him TikTok's record-breaking numbers and considered that the social network might still be worth keeping under its roof. These comments follow a recent meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, during which Trump expressed his positive view of the platform.
While Trump once viewed TikTok as a threat due to potential data collection and content censorship, his current stance appears more moderate. Critics point to Trump's ties to ByteDance investor Jeff Yass, a Republican supporter.
His views may also be influenced by his granddaughter Kai Trump, a TikTok content creator with 1.3 million followers. Her popular golf and family videos featuring Trump himself have garnered millions of views.
Despite Trump's change of heart on 10 January. The Supreme Court will review the ban and consider whether it violates freedom of speech. If implemented, the ban would block new downloads and updates of the app across the US.
