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https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/nordic-report-calls-for-clearer-laws-on-ai-porn/

The Nordics

Nordic report calls for clearer laws on AI-porn

Published 23 November 2024

– By Editorial Staff

Montage. Photo: Liana S, charlesdeluvio/Unsplash

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

When it comes to legislation on AI-generated pornography, Denmark is way ahead, while Sweden and Norway are criticized for lagging behind, according to a new report.

The Swedish Women’s Lobby, together with the Icelandic women’s shelter Stígamót and the Norwegian Women’s Front, has compiled a report on the current state of laws on pornography in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. The aim of the report is described as “preventing the harmful effects of online pornography”.

AI-generated pornography is becoming more common and there will be more warnings about material involving children.

Iceland and Denmark currently have laws that explicitly prohibit the offensive distribution of AI-generated pornography. Finland also has laws covering this area, but they are criticized for being unclear.

Among the Nordic countries, Sweden, for example, prohibits the distribution of sexual violence and so-called “revenge porn”, i.e. offensive sex films, but the report’s authors believe that Sweden, along with Norway, needs more explicit legal regulation of specifically AI-generated pornography to create clearer case law.

– It should also be clarified that AI-generated films are also covered by the law, says Clara Berglund, Secretary General of the Swedish Women’s Lobby.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-government-replaces-us-aid-with-millions-for-soros-funded-media/

Sweden

Swedish government replaces US aid with millions for Soros-funded media

Published today 12:40

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Government Offices of Sweden/Niklas Forsström

Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson together with Minister for International Development Cooperation Benjamin Dousa (M).

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Swedish taxpayers will now have to cover the funding shortfall that arose when the US withdrew its aid to the international journalism group OCCRP – Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project

The government has announced that it will provide SEK 70 million (€6.4 million) in new support to the network, which was previously funded largely by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and has also received millions from George Soros’ notorious Open Society Foundations and the CIA-linked National Endowment for Democracy.

The Swedish aid is officially justified by the desire to “strengthen freedom of expression and democracy” in repressive environments. Critics, however, argue that the initiative is completely irrelevant to Swedish taxpayers and that the support is rather an expression of the Swedish government’s ideological and geopolitical loyalties

– Strengthening freedom of expression and democracy is an important part of the government’s reform agenda for aid. Support for OCCRP is part of this work, asserts Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Benjamin Dousa (M) in a press release.

The OCCRP, which describes itself as a network for investigative journalism, is particularly active in Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the organization’s work has contributed to the development of analysis and background information for Western sanctions against Russia. When US aid via USAID was suspended – according to previous information, amounting to over a third of the OCCRP’s total budget—the organization’s activities were hit hard.

Now Sweden is stepping in to cover a large part of the shortfall. The government’s press release states that it wants to “continue to support human rights and democratic forces such as independent media in vulnerable environments as a central part of Sweden’s long-term democracy support”, especially in countries that are “constantly exposed to Russian disinformation campaigns and other attempts to influence”.

Destabilization and propaganda

However, the fact that Swedish tax money is now replacing US cuts in support for a globally active NGO with clear links to George Soros and American influence campaigns has led to criticism and questions about the priorities of Swedish aid policy – and has been highlighted by establishment-critical media.

The criticism is not just about the amount. OCCRP’s close ties to both the US propaganda apparatus and Soros’ Open Society Foundations have led several observers to question its impartiality. The organization has received significant sums from, among others, USAID, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and other US government agencies with stated foreign policy ambitions.

Both the Soros networks and the US intelligence services have also been accused of systematically using propaganda media to destabilize countries, reduce public confidence in political leaders they want to remove, and try to lobby for systemic change in a more globalist and US-friendly direction.

Billions for “democracy and human rights”

Support for the OCCRP is no exception, but part of a larger trend. According to the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ own figures, Sweden is currently the world’s third largest donor of aid to foreign “free and independent media”. In total, support for “democracy and human rights” amounted to SEK 6.6 billion (€600 million) in 2024 – equivalent to a quarter of Sweden’s entire foreign aid budget. In addition, there is further Swedish tax money distributed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs – often to organizations with links to the UN

In the same year, the government also decided to increase funding for other related organizations, such as the European Endowment for Democracy and the Prague Civil Society Center. The former’s support increased from SEK 20 million (€1.8 million) to SEK 35 million (€3.2 million), while the latter’s was doubled.

Although politicians are keen to point out the importance of promoting press freedom in allegedly authoritarian states, critics argue that it is highly questionable whether Swedish taxpayers’ money should be used to finance this type of politically charged activity far beyond Sweden’s borders – and further question how it will be possible to determine in retrospect whether the initiative has produced the desired results.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/criminal-networks-plunder-sweden-economic-crime-authority-warns-of-collapse/

Sweden

Criminal networks plunder Sweden – Economic Crime Authority warns of collapse

organized crime

Published today 9:50

– By Editorial Staff

Montage. Photo: Swedish Economic Crime Authority, iStock

According to Jermsten, "the basic functions of society" are now threatened by the rise of organized crime.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Organized economic crime is growing rapidly in Sweden. According to the Swedish Economic Crime Authority’s new Director General Rikard Jermsten, the criminal economy amounts to more than SEK 150 billion (€13,5 billion) – every year, and is today considered a systemic threat.

– It’s worse than I thought. We as a society are financing the crime that we are supposed to fight, he says.

In its latest situation report, the Swedish Economic Crime Authority describes a development where crimes are becoming increasingly complex and extensive – and where profits are increasing sharply. Money laundering through advanced corporate arrangements is identified as a central part of the gang criminal economy.

– In the past, the criminal profits in our investigations could amount to tens of millions of SEK. Today, we see profits well over 100 million in individual cases, explains Jermsten.

Particularly at risk are welfare systems, where criminal networks plunder public resources through fake companies, scam invoices and identity theft. But banks, pension systems and large construction and infrastructure projects have also become targets for organized crime.

“Threatening the basic functions of society”

The often quoted figure that the criminal economy in Sweden has a turnover of SEK 150 billion (€13,5 billion) – is probably underestimated, according to Jermsten.

“Economic crime is growing in scope and threatens the basic functions of society. It undermines trust in the state, weakens public finances and damages welfare systems“, the agency states in its report.

Jermsten describes the consequences as twofold: on the one hand, society loses tax revenue that would have gone to health, education and social care – and on the other hand, the money is used instead to finance other crime. If crime becomes too widespread, he also believes that honest citizens will be less willing to pay taxes.

– When criminals steal tax money from the state, we all lose out. At the same time, competition in the business world is distorted, with serious long-term consequences.

No quick fixes

There are no quick fixes, according to the agency. But to strengthen resilience, it wants to see several measures: making it harder to start or take over companies for criminal purposes, easier to control company representatives, and harder to exploit other people’s identities.

Public procurement must also be tightened up to keep organised crime out, and the supervisory authorities’ control functions need to be strengthened. The Economic Crime Authority also proposes tougher penalties for economic crime in general.

– The development is going in the wrong direction. The whole of society now needs to build up its resilience, says Rikard Jermsten.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/norway/norways-progress-party-voted-yes-to-surrogacy-despite-the-party-leaders-opposition/

Norway

Norway’s Progress Party voted yes to surrogacy – despite the party leader’s opposition

Published yesterday 14:26

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Blue Planet Studio/iStock

Critics have long warned that legalizing surrogacy could lead to the commercialization and exploitation of women.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Norwegian Progress Party (FRP) has decided to work for the legalization of surrogacy in Norway during the next parliamentary term. The decision was taken by a clear majority at the party’s national convention this weekend, marking a clear departure from party leader Sylvi Listhaug’s line.

This means that the FRP goes even further than the liberal party Venstre, which in the spring supported only non-commercial and strictly regulated surrogacy.

Ahead of the vote, Listhaug clearly distanced herself from the proposal and urged party members to vote no. She warned that the decision risks having far-reaching negative consequences for how we view children and childbirth.

– I believe the decision opens the door to something more – it opens the door to receiving payment. And then I think we’re going down the wrong path, said Listhaug.

Among the proponents was Julianne Ofstad, deputy chair of the Oslo city council. She sees legalization as a way to help more people have children safely:

– By allowing surrogacy, we can ensure that it takes place in an orderly manner here at home, instead of only being possible for those who can travel abroad and pay for it themselves, she told NRK.

Criticized from various quarters

Opponents of surrogacy have long warned that legalization could lead to the commercialization and exploitation of women, especially those in vulnerable economic situations. Feminists also highlight the risk that women’s bodies could be reduced to a means of procuring children for others.

Ethical objections also concern lack of consent, power imbalances and the child’s right to its origin, and some argue that legalization in Norway risks contributing to the normalization of a global market for surrogacy.

Even in conservative circles, many oppose surrogacy – emphasizing that it violates traditional family ideals and the human view that children should not be “ordered like goods”.

Critics also argue that surrogacy undermines the relationship between mother and child, creating unclear family ties and a world where children become a right for adults rather than individuals with rights of their own.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-mother-cracks-egg-on-daughters-forehead-during-livestream-convicted-of-harassment/

Sweden

Swedish mother cracks egg on daughter’s forehead during livestream – convicted of harassment

Published 3 May 2025

– By Editorial Staff

Photo: Hirsan Chaerud H/iStock

According to the woman, it's fun to "prank" her child on social media.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Following every bizarre trend on TikTok without thinking first is not recommended – something a 24-year-old mother from Helsingborg can now attest to.

She thought it would be a funny idea to crack an egg on her five-year-old daughter’s forehead during a livestream – but the district court disagrees, and has instead convicted the woman of harassment.

It was last summer when the young mother, aspiring to become an influencer, started a livestream on her social media while she and her daughter were sitting at the kitchen table baking apple pie.

Suddenly, the mother picked up an egg and cracked it against her daughter’s forehead, causing the yolk to run down her face. The daughter expressed that it hurt and asked her laughing mother to stop.

At the time, the 24-year-old’s account was public, and the clip eventually gained around 100,000 views. After an anonymous tip, police began investigating the incident, and now the Helsingborg District Court has concluded that the woman’s actions were unlawful.

– When I saw the video, I thought: you simply don’t do that to a child. To record and humiliate the child and then broadcast it to thousands of viewers – I find that incredibly degrading, and that’s my personal opinion, prosecutor Cecilia Andersson told Sydsvenskan.

– It’s a little girl who thinks she’s going to bake an apple cake with her mom and is happy and excited about it and then all of a sudden she gets an egg cracked in her forehead. This is a reckless act, the prosecutor further argues in the state television SVT.

“We see the phenomenon increasing”

The mother admits that the incident occurred – but denies having committed any crime. She defended herself by saying she was merely following a TikTok trend and that it’s fun to “prank” your child.

– She has herself said that this is a trend on social media, that she saw it on TikTok, and that this has been a common prank people have done.

Ängla Pändel, chair of the Institute for Law and the Internet, says that up until now, it hasn’t been very common for cases like this – where parents humiliate their children on social media – to go as far as the courts. But she believes that will become significantly more common in the future.

– We see the phenomenon increasing, so I definitely think we will see more cases in the future.

The woman’s sentence is a fine of SEK 20,000 (€1,800) payable to her daughter.

Editorial Staff
editorial@nordictimes.com