Summary
Albania has announced a one-year ban on TikTok following the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy last month, linked to social media disputes.
Local media reported the stabbing followed arguments between the boys on social media, with TikTok videos emerging that appeared to support the killing.
The ban, part of a broader effort to make schools safer, was decided after consultations with parents and teachers.
Similar restrictions have been enacted in countries like France and Australia. The ban will take effect early next year. TikTok has not yet commented.
I would rather we meaningfully enforce standards on all social media platforms, but it’s a start.
The algorithms designed to harm people and the scaling well beyond the possibility of meaningful content moderation has got to be addressed. At this point I’m honestly not totally sure how, but man does it need fixing. We’ve allowed online spaces to become incredibly exploitative, and breeding grounds for hate and extremism.