The European Union has emphasized that banning digital services should only be considered as a last resort and must relate to violations of transparency and accountability requirements outlined in EU law — not as a response to specific content or isolated incidents online.
The EU is moving forward with its Digital Services Act (DSA) investigation, which includes examining potential risks to users’ physical and mental well-being, according to a spokesperson. TikTok, in particular, has been under increasing scrutiny regarding these regulations.
At the same time, the European Commission is assessing the rule of law and civil rights situation in Albania as the country works toward joining the EU — a top political priority for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama. Albania, which has been an EU candidate country since 2014, formally began its accession process in 2022, with the opening round of negotiations held last October. Rama has set the ambitious goal of securing full EU membership by 2030.
Rama defended his government’s plan to ban TikTok in Albania, insisting that the decision was not triggered by an isolated event. He argued that the ban reflects the wishes of the vast majority of parents and aligns with broader efforts to improve school safety in collaboration with educators, parents, and schools.
Despite repeated inquiries, Rama’s office has yet to share the technical specifics of how and when the TikTok ban will be implemented. However, the prime minister previously hinted in December that his government had conducted all the necessary technological research and anticipated needing six to eight weeks to block TikTok’s accessibility in the country.
“Freedom of speech and marketing opportunities will not come to an end without TikTok,” Rama remarked in an interview with POLITICO.













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