The Albanian government has lifted the temporary ban on TikTok imposed eleven months ago, according to an official cabinet document published by the local press, the authenticity of which was confirmed to AFP today by the prime minister’s office.

Albania had decided in March 2025 to block access to TikTok within its territory to “avoid its harmful effects” after the death of a teenager who was stabbed by a classmate following a fight on social media.

In its decision, which has not yet been published in the Government Gazette, the cabinet orders “the lifting of the temporary measures aimed at stopping access to the TikTok online platform within the territory of the Republic of Albania.”

The resolution of 6 March 2025, “on the adoption of temporary measures to prevent the harmful effects of the TikTok internet platform, is repealed, the text reads.

The Constitutional Court was scheduled to hear a case against the ban on TikTok in Albania today. The appeal, filed in the name of freedom of expression, was filed by the Association of Albanian Journalists, an investigative media and NGO. The plaintiffs argued that the measure violated the Albanian constitution.

The opposition had also protested against the decision taken by socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama ahead of the campaign for the May 2025 parliamentary elections, which his party won.

Despite the ban, access to the platform remained possible, particularly via VPN, as AFP journalists in the country have repeatedly observed.

The app, which built its success on short, addictive, and often entertaining videos, is also frequently accused of various other harmful practices – ranging from improper data collection to facilitating election manipulation.

Several countries, concerned about the platform’s impact on the health of children and adolescents, have taken action in recent months. In December 2025, Australia imposed a limited ban on several social networks, including TikTok.