Online safety & content laws in Albania (2026)

Legal framework

Audiovisual Media Act (as amended 2023 to cover video-sharing platforms), Law on Electronic Commerce, and Law on Electronic Communications (No. 54/2024), supervised by the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA)

Key points: internet & online safety in Albania

1. 01AMA oversight of VSPs

   A 2023 amendment to the Audiovisual Media Act extended the Audiovisual Media Authority's (AMA) mandate to video-sharing platforms, requiring them to take measures against harmful content, protect minors, and prevent hate speech and incitement to violence under Article 32/1.

   ama.gov.al ama.gov.al

2. 02TikTok ban (2025-2026)

   Following the stabbing death of a 14-year-old in November 2024, the government banned TikTok by executive decision effective 13 March 2025. The ban was widely flouted via VPNs and was formally lifted by Decision No. 62 on 3 February 2026, with no substantive regulatory framework produced during the ban period.

   balkaninsight.com balcanicaucaso.org balkaninsight.com

3. 03Partial DSA alignment in existing laws

   Roughly one-third of EU Digital Services Act obligations are partially reflected in Albania's Law on Electronic Commerce and Law on Electronic Communications (No. 54/2024), covering intermediary-service liability and basic transparency, but gaps remain in complaint-handling systems and advertising disclosure rules.

   scidevcenter.org cms.law

4. 04DSA approximation committed by 2026

   The Albanian government committed to completing the policy-impact assessment for DSA transposition by June 2025 and adopting the necessary legal amendments by end of 2026, as part of EU accession obligations under Cluster 3 screening.

   enlargement.ec.europa.eu coe.int

5. 05Draft children's digital protection law

   In October 2025, civil society organisation CRCA/ECPAT Albania proposed a first-of-its-kind draft law for child protection in the digital space, modelled on the UK Online Safety Act and EU DSA, requiring age verification, parental controls, and privacy-by-default; as of May 2026 the law had not been enacted.

   crca.al

6. 06No comprehensive online safety law

   Albania has no enacted statute equivalent to the EU Digital Services Act or UK Online Safety Act. The Institute for Democracy and Mediation and the EU Commission's 2025 Rule of Law Report both note that online platforms remain substantially unregulated outside the VSP provisions and e-commerce liability rules.

   idmalbania.org commission.europa.eu

Timeline of decisions

1. 11 Mar 2026Decision
   Constitutional Court Rules TikTok Ban Violated Freedom of Expression

   Albania's Constitutional Court declared the government's one-year TikTok ban unconstitutional, finding it violated freedom of expression and press freedom. The ruling came shortly after the ban expired in February 2026 and established important constitutional limits on executive authority to block platforms.

   Balkan Insight

2. 13 Mar 2025Decision
   One-Year TikTok Ban Enters into Force, First Platform Ban in Europe

   Albania's Council of Ministers decision blocking TikTok took effect, requiring ISPs to block access nationwide, making Albania the first European country to impose a full platform-level ban on a major social media app. The government pledged to use the period to negotiate child-safety controls with TikTok.

   Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa

3. 21 Dec 2024Decision
   Albania Announces One-Year TikTok Ban After Teen Stabbing Death

   Prime Minister Edi Rama announced a one-year national ban on TikTok after a 14-year-old was stabbed to death following a social media dispute, citing the platform's role in fuelling youth violence. The decision was challenged by opposition politicians and journalists as a disproportionate curb on free expression.

   Al Jazeera

Sources

1. 1.ama.gov.al/?lang=en
2. 2.balkaninsight.com/2025/03/06/albanian-ministry-confirms-one-year-ban-on-tiktok-to-prote
3. 3.balcanicaucaso.org/en/cp_article/tiktok-in-albania-ban-ends/
4. 4.scidevcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/DSADMAAIA-IN-ALBANIA.pdf
5. 5.cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/ecommerce-in-cee/albania
6. 6.enlargement.ec.europa.eu/document/download/92844bd9-7cf4-4fb1-bcc2-b42a18371480_en?filename=AL
7. 7.coe.int/en/web/freedom-expression/-/integrating-european-media-freedom-act-em
8. 8.idmalbania.org/news-cpt/navigating-constitutional-concerns-in-the-unregulated-online
9. 9.crca.al/en/crca-ecpat-albania-proposes-a-draft-law-for-the-protection-of-chil
10. 10.commission.europa.eu/document/download/3732ae59-5ab4-48a6-a3e6-0ef9aa593863_en?filename=20
11. 11.ama.gov.al/unesco-presents-the-findings-of-its-study-on-albania-regarding-social
12. 12.balkaninsight.com/2025/09/08/albanias-tiktok-ban-widely-flouted-even-by-allies-of-pm/