"It's Silencing" - Albania Shuts Down TikTok.
"It's Silencing" - Albania Shuts Down TikTok.
Journalists, civil society representatives, TikTokers and politicians talk to iMEdD about Edi Rama's decision, just two months before the elections.
I have to explain to foreign brands that I cannot post on TikTok because the platform is blocked in Albania.”
Elvi Nuhu, 27, is a content creator in Tirana. Having amassed 115,000 followers on TikTok, he makes a living from social media. Speaking to iMEdD, he sounds anxious.
“The biggest problem is with foreign brands that want to sponsor their products or services on my TikTok. Because maybe foreign brands don’t know the situation in Albania,” he explains.
In early March, the Albanian government announced a year-long ban on TikTok, citing concerns over protecting minors from violent content and hate speech. The government decision began to be implemented gradually after March 13.
Opposition politicians in Albania, civil society members, and journalists who spoke to iMEdD argue that Prime Minister Edi Rama’s real objective is to silence government critics and manipulate the upcoming elections in May.
Oh no, won't somebody think of the influencers
i'd be more worried about the citizen journalism exposing much of what is happening on the ground that governments don't want you to see (aka gaza, for example)
Influencers make money from the platform and in most peoples' capitalism-riddled brain, "the government is ripping up your paycheck" is more alarming than "the government is silencing its people".
Big win for libs in albania. Ban TikTok!!!! \s \s \s
The government is not wrong tbh. Young people are addicted to social media and scroll endlessly all the time, and I have myself came across, mildly put, disturbing content. I deleted most of my social media and use the bare minimum to only keep up with some remote friends.
I also don't buy the argument that it's censoring because it's just one of many many channels people can freely communicate. TikTok alone does not mean democracy. Also, the same way it can support democracy, so can it be used to demolish it by repeating false claims to make them appear truthful. And if you add AI on top which can generate convincing images and videos of whatever...
Prohibition has never really worked for any addictive thing so far. What makes you think that it will work for social media?
In my opinion, education is the better investment.
Quite a lot of kids and teenagers have the same reaction to taking away their phone, as addicts have when taking away their drugs. I don't think education can solve problems that are already affecting peoples mental and physical state. Not giving kids TikTok is same as not giving kids to much sugar. In small doses and controlled yes, but nothing you would give them free unlimited access to.
in memory of this, I'm starting another Tor relay! :)
Quoting the Men in Black OST: "it's for your own protection"