With Sweden's general election set for 13 September, authorities are sharpening their tools to detect and counter foreign information manipulation, as artificial intelligence and social media platforms reshape the political landscape. The government has made clear that the current security environment, rapid technological change, and lessons from other European elections demand stronger resilience against malign influence.
Last week, the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency (MPF) published a report detailing a partly AI-powered network of around 1,200 fake accounts on X, dubbed "Holiday." The network generated more than 50,000 posts, comments, and shares during 2025 and 2026, targeting Sweden and other countries. The accounts were first spotted by Sweden's central bank after staff participated in an MPF-led exercise, and X later removed the network. While the operation has not been directly linked to this year's election, the agency released the findings close to the vote to raise public awareness of such tactics.
AI and TikTok are changing the information environment
The ways in which influence can be exerted are evolving, particularly as younger voters increasingly encounter politics through TikTok and AI tools. According to an April report from Sweden's Internet Foundation, one in ten Swedes uses AI services to ask questions about politics or social issues. Among first-time voters, that figure rises to one in four.
Matteo Magnani, a professor at Uppsala University who researches digital opinion formation, told Euronews Next that recommendation algorithms can be exploited to amplify specific political content. "Another is that extreme and emotionally charged content may be recommended more frequently than less sensational content because it tends to generate higher engagement," he said. Generative AI could also make such exploitation easier to scale, allowing networks to cheaply produce large volumes of material across many accounts, increasing the odds that some will be picked up by algorithms.
In February, Swedish public radio identified four TikTok accounts featuring AI-generated young women sharing far-right and anti-immigration content, including messages rejecting "white guilt." The broadcaster found indications that the accounts were operated by the same actor. "By flooding the platform with content, these networks increase the likelihood that some of their videos will be picked up and amplified by the recommendation algorithm," Magnani said.
How worried should Swedes be?
Polling published by the MPF last week found that 64% of Swedish adults think attempts by foreign actors to influence Sweden this year are either very or quite likely. The state-run Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) is monitoring election-related online activity for signs of manipulation. Ola Svenonius, a senior researcher at FOI, noted that the volume of posts related to voting rose from around 1,000 a day to almost 2,400 a day shortly before early voting began. "You would, for example, see coordinated posting, posting of identical content. You would see fake accounts," he said. "But the scale is not large," he added, noting that researchers have not attributed the activity to any organised foreign campaign.
Migration is one area researchers are watching closely. Svenonius said narratives historically pushed by Russian misinformation actors include claims that Sweden is being "Islamified," that migrants have been brought in to support left-wing parties, and claims of electoral fraud. "When we look at the topics that Russia has been pushing before, this is outgrowing every other topic, even support for Ukraine," he said.
The MPF says Sweden and its upcoming election are not currently a priority target for Russian information influence. "My take was that the Russians would rather focus on the German state elections," Svenonius said, reaching a similar conclusion. He added that Sweden is now "way better equipped" than in previous elections to identify suspicious activity, and that awareness among authorities is higher.
As the election approaches, the broader European context remains relevant. Sweden's security posture has been bolstered by recent defence investments, including a €630 million HIMARS purchase that deepens Nordic artillery ties. Meanwhile, the political race itself is too close to call, with welfare and security dominating the agenda. The EU's defence initiatives have also faced turbulence, as seen in the scrapping of Kallas's defence advisory group after backlash from member states.
For now, Swedish authorities appear confident that their defences are holding, but the rapid evolution of AI-driven tactics means vigilance must remain high. As Svenonius put it, the country has learned from past elections and is better prepared than ever—but the threat is far from gone.
