Academy of Political Studies newest report: “Cyber hate trends in Albania”

Although being a relatively new topic in Albania, cyber hate is identified as a growing phenomenon affecting the most vulnerable people, such as women and minors.Based on the official figures by the Albanian State Police, online hate speech which reaches the criminal act threshold as online harassment, blackmail with intimate photos or frauds, have quadrupled during the last five years.

Albania’s decision to block TikTok aligns with a broader global debate on the role of social media platforms in amplifying harmful content, managing privacy, and influencing political processes.

Unlike other countries, which have targeted specific risks or legal violations, the Albanian government has opted for an outright ban without citing concrete legal breaches by the platform, an approach that raises questions about the proportionality of the measure and its compliance with international standards on digital rights and freedom of expression.

Read the full report here