Sweden creates agency to combat fake news ahead of election

Sweden's subsequent normal election is scheduled for Sept. 11.
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COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Sweden, which is holding a normal election in September, has joined France in creating an company to fight disinformation.

The mission of the Swedish Psychological Protection Company is to “defend our open and democratic society and free opinions by figuring out, analyzing and responding to inappropriate influences and different deceptive data directed at Sweden or Swedish pursuits.”

The company, which began up Jan. 1, has departments that respectively “determine, analyze and reply to the influence of undue data affect and different deceptive data” and “to develop and strengthen society’s general capability for psychological protection.”

The federal government authority, which didn’t title any nations it suspects of taking part in disinformation campaigns, mentioned it “will present help to the inhabitants, companies, municipalities, the media, voluntary protection organizations and civil society generally, in addition to working for elevated coordination between these actors.”

In 2018, Sweden’s home intelligence company mentioned overseas powers didn’t perform any complete marketing campaign to affect the Swedish parliamentary election. Nonetheless, it added that a “overseas energy exerts affect on Sweden in the long run.” That company briefed lawmakers earlier than the Sept. 9, 2018 election, concerning the danger, safety and security measures. The company didn’t determine any nation concerned by title.

Sweden’s subsequent normal election is scheduled for Sept. 11.

France, which has a presidential election in April, arrange an company final yr to fight overseas disinformation and pretend information.