The presence of more than 8,500 suspicious accounts on social media has raised concerns about foreign interference in the Swedish elections. These accounts, primarily operating from Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin, have increased in number ahead of the general elections in Sweden that took place on Sunday.
Investigations and Evidence
Analysts from the Dutch company Trollrensics and the non-profit organization Alliance4Europe, in collaboration with a Swedish news network, have identified these accounts. These accounts are mainly characterized by similar identities, stolen images, and overlapping patterns in the Swedish political accounts they follow. Additionally, these accounts rarely publish original content and instead seek out real Swedish accounts in political discussions.
Reports indicate that some of these accounts have acquired up to 30 percent of their followers from suspicious accounts registered in Nigeria, Benin, and Asia. These accounts also show a greater inclination towards right-wing sources and individuals associated with the Swedish Moderate Party.
The Role of Social Media and Security Threats
Investigations suggest that these accounts may be part of a commercial operation employed for various clients. According to Robert van der Noord, one of the founders of Trollrensics, such accounts have been identified in various elections across Europe, including the Netherlands and Hungary. Some of these accounts change their identities when participating in political discussions from one country to another.
While Swedish officials have stated that their country is not a priority target for Russian influence, they warned that the elections are being held under serious security conditions and hostile actors may attempt to exacerbate existing divisions or undermine trust in the electoral process. Additionally, pro-Russian activities were observed prior to the elections, including the dissemination of fake videos.
After the elections, unfounded claims of widespread electoral fraud were circulated, with some posts incorrectly claiming that a senior official from the electoral agency is affiliated with the Social Democrats. The Swedish Psychological Defense Agency announced that officials have taken extensive measures to protect the public from misinformation, propaganda, and attempts to manipulate public discussions.
