Swedish police demand removal of 30 criminal service advertisements from TikTok and Meta
Swedish authorities on Friday ordered TikTok and Meta to remove 30 posts offering paid criminal services, including murders.
Sweden orders social networks to delete criminal service advertisements
According to LRT, Swedish police on Friday demanded that technology companies TikTok and Meta remove 30 posts in which criminal services are offered in exchange for payment. This is a further step in combating gang violence, which has been ongoing in the country for more than a decade.
A law that entered into force on 15 July gives authorities the power to require platforms to remove recruitment content within one hour. "We sent 30 orders – 29 to TikTok and one to Meta," a police press spokesman told news agency AFP.
Both platforms complied with the requirements, but authorities continue to urge technology companies to monitor and moderate content more actively, as well as to increase public awareness.
Criminals use a pre-planned scheme: advertisements first appear on TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat. When a young person responds to such an advertisement, the correspondence moves to an encrypted application. "The sums offered can range from 10,000 krona (approximately 900 euros) to several million, depending on the crime ordered," the press spokesman said.
According to her, such offers are usually deception: "These are false promises used to draw young people into criminal activity. In exceptionally rare cases is money actually paid, let alone talk of those unrealistic advertised amounts."
Swedish gangs have long been using social networks and encrypted applications to recruit teenagers. They are paid to carry out crimes – including murders – because it is known that minors face lesser sentences. Last week, the Swedish parliament voted to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14 years – this change will come into force on 10 September.
Source: LRT