Albania’s government is weighing a potential ban on social media platforms TikTok and Snapchat after the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old student by a peer, Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced. 

The incident, which occurred at Fan Noli Elementary School in the capital, Tirana, has sparked national outrage and debate about the role of social media in youth violence.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, Rama described the tragedy as a wake-up call for both the state and society. “For three days [we] have been shocked by the macabre murder of a 14-year-old student with a knife by another teenager,” he said on November 20, according to a government statement.

“[T]he tragedy highlights the permanent threat that all families who raise children live with in today's world where social networks and especially TikTok or Snapchat absorb our children into their labyrinths every day from a very young age.”

The altercation that led to the death of Martin Cani, which reportedly started over social media, has renewed concerns over the platforms’ influence on minors. Rama highlighted the challenges of moderating harmful online content and questioned whether filtering measures would be sufficient.

Accordingly, Tirana is considering whether to “take the drastic measure of the complete closure of TikTok and why not, of SnapChat too in the territory of Republic of Albania,” the prime minister said. 

Rama pointed to similar steps in Australia, which is currently trying to ban access to social networks for all children up to 16 years old, and France, which is discussing making parental approval a condition for children under 15 to open an online account. 

Rama stressed that any move to restrict access to these platforms would involve discussions with parents and be handled democratically, with schools actively participating in the decision-making process.

In addition to the potential ban, Rama announced plans to install surveillance cameras in all schools and classrooms to enhance safety measures.

On Friday, concerned parents are set to march from Fan Noli Elementary School to the Ministry of Education and Sports, demanding stronger protections for students.