Internet abuse on the rise in Sweden: report

Internet hate has been increasing for the last ten years, according to Sveriges Radio (SR), and nearly doubled since 2002. Compared to last year the number of reports of internet abuse in Sweden has increased by 16 percent, according to the report.

Karl Dahlstrand, a lecturer in Sociology of Law at Lund University, told SR that it is difficult to adapt laws that existed before the internet to be applied to the problems that police face today.

“It is very complex legislation. Partly because it isn’t at all adapted to an online environment but also because it is a very subjective question which is difficult for the court to deal with in a way that it gives satisfaction to those affected,” Dahlstrand said.

A state agency report from earlier this year also showed that only some 3 percent of internet abuse cases are ever brought to court, according to the broadcaster.

One of the reasons behind this low figure is that defamation offences have low police priority and that preliminary investigations are therefore very rarely launched.

TT/The Local/rm