Sweden creates agency to fight fake news before the election – 104.5 WOKV
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – (AP) – Sweden, which is holding a general election in September, has joined France to set up an agency to combat misinformation.
The mission for Swedish Psychological Defense Authority is to “defend our open and democratic society and free opinions by identifying, analyzing and responding to inappropriate influences and other misleading information directed at Sweden or Swedish interests.”
The agency, which started on 1 January, has departments that respectively “identify, analyze and respond to the effects of undue information influence and other misleading information” and “to develop and strengthen society’s overall capacity for psychological defense.”
The state agency, which did not name any countries it suspects has participated in disinformation campaigns, said it “will provide support to the population, authorities, municipalities, the media, voluntary defense organizations and civil society in general, and to work for greater coordination between these actors. “
In 2018, Sweden’s domestic intelligence service said that foreign powers did not carry out an extensive campaign to influence the Swedish parliamentary elections. It added, however, that a “foreign power exercises influence over Sweden in the long run.” That agency informed legislators before the election on September 9, 2018 about risks, safety and security measures. The agency did not identify any country involved by name.
Sweden’s next parliamentary election is scheduled for 11 September.
France, which has a presidential election in April, started an agency last year to combat foreign misinformation and fake news.
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