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Albania has lifted its ban on TikTok nearly a year after restricting access to the video-sharing platform, the prime minister’s office confirmed on Thursday.
A cabinet decision seen by local media directed the National Cyber Security Authority to work with relevant agencies to restore access to the platform, signalling an end to the restrictions imposed in March 2025.
The government had blocked TikTok following the fatal stabbing of a teenager by a classmate after a dispute that began on social media, a move that sparked widespread debate over online safety and freedom of expression.
The decision to lift the ban comes as a legal challenge to the restriction was due to be heard in court on Thursday.
The case was filed by the Albanian Journalists Association, an investigative media outlet, and a civil society organisation, which argued that the ban violated constitutional guarantees of free expression.
Opposition parties had also criticised the move to block TikTok, accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist government of political motives and warning that the ban could influence parliamentary elections held in May.
Despite the restrictions, many users in Albania continued to access TikTok through virtual private networks, limiting the ban’s effectiveness.
TikTok, known for its short and highly engaging videos, has faced growing scrutiny worldwide over issues ranging from data privacy to its potential role in political influence and online harm.
Concerns about the impact of social media on children and adolescents have prompted action in several countries.
In December, Australia introduced a landmark ban preventing under-16s from accessing platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, a move that has since drawn interest from other governments.
