Albania opposition set to rally against TikTok ban

Hundreds rallied in Albania's capital Tirana as the opposition protested a new ban targeting TikTok, arguing the move would have an impact on elections later this year.

Earlier this week, Albanian authorities ordered internet providers to block relevant IP addresses and DNS servers linked to the app, implementing a ban ordered by Prime Minister Edi Rama in December.

It was still possible however to access the platform as of Saturday afternoon, according to AFP reporters.

Rama said the ban followed a confrontation that started on social media and led to the killing of a 14-year-old student near a school in the capital Tirana.

The killing sparked a debate about the impact of social networks on young people.

Opposition leader Sali Berisha said the ban would undercut their ability to campaign online ahead of May's parliamentary elections.

At Saturday's rally, medical student Elida Ranci, told fellow protesters: "It's not just TikTok that is threatened with censorship.

"The closure of this platform primarily violates freedom of expression just months before the legislative elections."

TikTok has a huge following among young people attracted to its never-ending scroll of ultra-brief videos. It has more than one billion active users worldwide.

But the Chinese-owned platform has been regularly hit by controversy.

The app has faced allegations of espionage in the US and is under investigation by the European Union over claims it was used to sway Romania's presidential election in favour of a far-right candidate.

In Albania, officials have condemned TikTok for its alleged role in promoting violence, including fighting at schools.

TikTok is regularly accused of confining users to content silos via an opaque algorithm, and of promoting the spread of misinformation, along with illegal, violent, or obscene content -- particularly among young people.

AFP, among more than a dozen other fact-checking organisations, is paid by TikTok in several countries to verify videos that potentially contain false information. AFP