Ida Ismail
With an alarming increase in cases of abuse, pressure and requests for sexual favors against girls, the Internet seems to have turned into a dangerous tool, especially for children and young people.
Fake profiles for sexual gain
On the evening of October 16, a shocking case was reported on the "Sinjalizo" platform. A minor girl, through a false profile opened in her name, faced denigration and pressure for sexual favors. The fake profile contained the girl's first and last name, while the content was filled with abusive and vulgar phrases.
The director of the Center for Children's Rights in Albania, Altin Hazizaj, points to a frightening increase in such cases: "Only in the first three months of 2024, we have registered over 300 cases of online sexual abuse against children and young people".
Disturbing statistics: Tirana leads in reports of abusive cases
According to the CRCA report, Tirana leads the number of reported cases of online abuse and blackmail, a trend possibly influenced by the capital's large population and greater access to the Internet. After it come Kuçova and Durrësi, which record the highest levels of reported cases.
99 complaints of online blackmail were made to the State Police between 2020 and 2023, as law enforcement authorities struggle to cope with this new wave of cybercrime.
The National Authority for Cyber Security (AKSK) announces that the number of reports has increased, where 2024 cases were reported during the period January-October 200, compared to only 25 reports during 2023. "The reports were about online bullying, online blackmail and inappropriate content, which includes pornographic, violent materials, etc., says the AKSK report.
Struggle with limited technology and lack of cooperation
According to Hazizaj, the Albanian police and other institutions do not have access to the advanced technology needed to locate the perpetrators of abuses. "For years, the Albanian police has remained without investments in the field of cybercrime, while the lack of coordination between institutions is worsening this situation," he emphasizes.
"Global companies, due to advanced technology, show the exact location of the person. It is an expensive technology, the Albanian police does not have this access because for years it has been left without investments, especially in the field of cybercrime. Not only the police, but all the institutions that deal with the issue of cyber security," says Hazizaj.
Beyond the lack of technology, the culture of silence and fear of stigmatization, which makes many victims reluctant to report abuse, remains a concern.
AMA and TikTok: A step towards protecting children?
In August 2024, the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) signed a cooperation agreement with the TikTok platform to monitor and remove material with harmful content.
As of November 1, the AMA had addressed 516 complaints involving serious violations of ethics and law. In this period, 171 inappropriate videos and audios have been removed from the platform due to violent, hateful content and images inappropriate for minors.
| • Complaints in violation of the law: 178 |
| • Video/audio under review: 7 |
| • Videos/audio removed: 171 |
| Classification of removed videos: |
| • 15 videos about acts of violence |
| • 3 videos for hate speech due to sexual orientation |
| • 2 videos about religious hatred |
| • 18 videos for footage of criminal offences |
| • 71 videos about children's exposure to pornography, narcotics, alcohol, tobacco and violence |
| • 52 videos for inciting violence and hatred |
| • 10 audio per language that exceeds moral and ethical standards. |
The Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination throughout the year 2023 has examined 6 cases reported for the use of sneer language. "Two of the reported cases were related to two public figures. For the first, there were claims that the opinions and attitudes expressed by him in public were in excess of freedom of expression. While the other person called for the banning of the screening of a children's film in cinemas, on the grounds that the characters were homosexuals, bringing serious psycho-social consequences to minors," says the KMD report.
Unenforced law and protracted court processes
Albania has a legal framework for the protection of minors from online abuse, but the real challenge remains the identification and prosecution of the perpetrators. Lawyer Alban Duraj says that: "Sexual crimes against minors face severe sanctions under the Penal Code, but due to fear and mistrust of the justice system, many cases are not reported." Stigmatization of victims and prolonged judicial processes often become obstacles to punishing perpetrators.
The danger of silence and lack of parental awareness
At a time when Internet use is widespread among minors and when parental control is often lacking, children are increasingly exposed to the dangers of technology. Awareness campaigns are needed to inform parents and young people about the dangers of the Internet and to create a safe environment for children in cyberspace.
At the end of the day, technology remains a powerful tool, but when misused, it turns into a dangerous weapon. The country still has a long way to go to create a safe online environment for children and young people, one that requires commitment, technology and above all institutional cooperation.
