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Sweden and Denmark to Address Tech Platforms Regarding Gang Crime Advertisements
Sweden and Denmark are expected to convene technology companies regarding advertisements that are associated with gang crime. Concerns have been expressed regarding the recruitment of young Swedes for violent offences in the Nordic region. Demands that social media platforms enhance their prevention and accountability initiatives.
Sweden has been dealing with gang violence and juvenile crime for years, which has raised concerns among other Nordic nations regarding potential spillover effects across borders. There have been 25 reported cases since April in which Danish gangs have recruited Swedish gang members for violent assaults on rivals in Denmark. These recruitments are frequently facilitated through advertisements on messaging platforms such as Telegram.
Gunnar Strommer, the Swedish Minister of Justice, emphasised the gangs' inventive recruitment strategies that target young people online during a joint news conference with the Danish Minister of Justice. He stated his intention to hold these platforms accountable for their role in the region, emphasising the necessity of heightened prevention efforts.
Danish Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard expressed apprehension regarding the utilisation of encrypted services and social media, with a particular emphasis on Telegram and TikTok, as instruments for criminal activities. In order to effectively address these issues, he recommended investigating potential solutions, including geoblocking and communication platform shutdowns.
In response to the ministers' statements, a spokesperson for TikTok in the Nordics declined to provide a direct response but expressed a willingness to work with governments to resolve the issue. Using proactive monitoring and AI tools to remove violating content on a daily basis, Telegram has declared its adherence to the EU's Digital Service Act, which prohibits illicit recruitment on its platform.
It is important to note that Meta and X did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the matter.
The Nordic countries have recently been informed of Sweden's intentions to enhance police cooperation and establish a node in Stockholm to prevent the spread of gang-related crime to Norway, Finland, and Denmark. In order to mitigate the facilitation of criminal movements by the EU's open borders in the Nordic region, Denmark has also enhanced security measures at its Swedish border and increased surveillance of train passengers arriving from Sweden.
The EU's highest per-capita rate of firearms violence is recorded in Sweden, which underscores the urgency of addressing gang-related crime and violence. The country experienced 55 fatalities from shootings in 363 separate incidents last year, which is a dramatic contrast to the combined six fatal shootings in the other three Nordic countries.
Sweden and Denmark to summon tech companies over gang crime ads
Concerns raised over recruitment of young Swedes for violent crimes in the Nordics
Calls for increased accountability and prevention efforts from social media platforms
Source: REUTERS