It’s Saturday evening in Tirana, the capital of Albania. Martin B. (14) is seated on the sidewalk outside the building that accommodates the office of the Albanian Prime Minister.

He is just one of several hundred demonstrators who assembled to protest the government’s recent decision to impose a 12-month ban on TikTok.

The Albanian opposition called for this protest after the left-leaning government of Prime Minister Edi Rama mandated the suspension of the application for sharing short video clips, citing concerns that TikTok incites youth violence in schools.

Martin expresses that he is not politically inclined, yet he believes that the Albanian government’s decision “lacks wisdom.”

“Banning TikTok won’t resolve the issues,” he tells DW. “In fact, it may exacerbate the situation by pushing young people to alternative pro-China apps, a trend we also see in the US, which could compromise our data security even more.”

Heartbreak and Disgust from a Father

The ban came following the tragic death of a 14-year-old boy, also named Martin, who was fatally stabbed by another student in a Tirana school last November after a prolonged conflict that escalated online.

One month later, the government enacted the TikTok ban.

Angel Cani, the boy’s father, told DW, “Martin never had a TikTok account; his death wasn’t due to TikTok.”

“Our family denounces the exploitation of our son’s death for political gain,” Cani said. “It pains us deeply to see our tragedy manipulated for political motives and used to justify the government’s ban on TikTok.”

What Is TikTok’s Response?

TikTok confirmed that Martin Cani was not an active user of the platform. Following the Albanian government’s ban announcement in December, the app, owned by a Chinese company, released a statement.

It was noted that further clarification is awaited from the government since the videos that led to the violent incident “were shared on a different platform, not TikTok.”

In January, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kristine Gran, TikTok’s European government relations head, held a meeting described by Rama as “completely open and constructive,” indicating plans for further cooperation in the near future.

Neither the Albanian government nor TikTok issued statements following the meeting, which many interpreted as a sign that the government’s stance on the app may be softening.

Is This Pre-Election Censorship?

However, following the government’s announcement on March 7 this year regarding the intention to implement a TikTok ban, opposition parties alleged that the motive behind the ban is politically charged, linked to the parliamentary elections scheduled for May.

Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha referred to the government’s announcement as “censorship” before the upcoming elections on May 11, where Prime Minister Rama is vying for a fourth term.

While the government and opposition debate the potential TikTok ban, teenager Martin B. remains apprehensive about the persistence of bullying and violence in schools. “I doubt that banning TikTok will prevent incidents in our schools,” remarks Martin.

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