Sweden creates the Swedish Psychological Defense Authority to combat misinformation
On Saturday, Sweden created the Swedish Defense Psychological Agency to combat election information.
In the run-up to the country’s general elections on 11 September, the agency was set up on 1 January to combat misinformation and undue electoral influence. The Associated Press reported.
“We 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. it says on the authority’s website.
The group says it will “offer support to authorities, municipalities, regions, companies and organizations and contribute to strengthening the resilience of our population. “
“Psychological defense must be able to identify, analyze, meet and prevent undue information influence and other misleading information that is directed at Sweden or Swedish interests both nationally and internationally,” it says on the website.
The agency did not name any countries or other entities that it believed would interfere in its upcoming elections, even if the country’s domestic intelligence service said after the 2018 election that an unknown “foreign power exercises influence in Sweden in the long term”, according to AP.