Sweden Takes Action Against Social Media Use by Minors to Prevent Violent Crimes

Swedish ministers are considering implementing age restrictions on social media platforms if they fail to prevent gangs from recruiting minors for violent crimes. This move comes as Sweden struggles with rising gang violence, which has led to the highest per capita shooting rate in Europe. Gangs have increasingly used social media as a “digital marketplace” to recruit children, some as young as 11, to participate in violent acts such as murders and bombings in Nordic countries. In response, the Swedish government is exploring measures similar to Australia’s recent ban on children under 16 accessing social media.

According to Reuters, Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer stated that the situation is “very serious” and emphasized that no options are being ruled out. Following a meeting with other Nordic ministers and social media companies in Copenhagen, Strommer noted that Sweden would consider the measures adopted by countries like Australia to find the most suitable solution.

In the first seven months of 2024, Swedish police reported that 93 children under 15 were suspected of planning murders, three times more than the same period last year. Strommer pointed out that representatives from TikTok, Meta, Google, and Snapchat had committed to taking action to address the issue, stressing that it was now up to these platforms to deliver tangible results.

Sweden’s Education Minister Johan Pehrson also mentioned the possibility of monitoring developments in Australia’s social media ban, though he stressed that such a move would not be the first step. Pehrson acknowledged the government’s commitment to addressing excessive social media use among children, noting, “We see that children are stuck in this dark sludge, throwing away their lives.”