Swedish media accused of spreading Russian propaganda. - A grotesque accusation, says cultural editor
THEA STORØY Elnan
UPDATED: 14.JAN.2017 5:48 p.m.
ISSUED: 12.JAN.2017 9:00 p.m.
Sharp media debate in Sweden about fake news, Russian influence and freedom of expression.
A new report from the Swedish Institute of International Affairs, published in
the Journal of Strategic Studies, has created cultural debate in Sweden.
The report documents how Russia's attempt to influence Sweden in various ways through false news, disinformation, forgeries and military threats have increased since the conflict on the Crimean peninsula in 2014.
Russia's influence has been a much discussed topic in the media in the past, particularly in connection with US presidential elections. Last week they released US intelligence services NSA and CIA, as well as the federal agency FBI
report that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave the order to influence the presidential election of Donald Trump's advantage. The methods they used were including hacking and the spread of Hillary Clinton's emails.
Both Aftonbladet and the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter accused in the Swedish report for spreading Russian disinformation.
Among the examples of Russia's entry into the Swedish news as cited in the report, the articles in Aftonbladet culture section. Scientists believe several of the section's publications have a "narrative that is the Kremlin-friendly."
- This is grotesque accusations and clearly an attack on press freedom, says Åsa Linderborg, cultural editor of the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.
A Russia-friendly narrative
The report says that Aftonbladet culture section in 2014 published more than 30 articles about fascism in Ukraine and criticism of the EU and NATO. For example, the fascists were the driving force in Ukrainian politics and that the referendum on Crimea reflected "people's will", which is to belong to Russia.
At least three contributors in aftonbladet's kulturseksjon be accused of being active in social media groups that the Kremlin-friendly. A journalist in the newsroom, a political refugee from Moscow, accused also of being a Russian agent.
-I have no word to express how serious this is [picture of Åsa Linderborg]
Linderborg does not agree with the accusations and think they are scary.
- It is clear we have written much about Ukraine, Putin and NATO. Why would we not do it when it's out of journalistic interest? I miss however hard facts and empirical evidence of what researchers believe to find.
The report claims that if, for example, is against a Swedish NATO membership, so it's the same as being Putin-friendly, says Linderborg.
She thinks it's serious that state-funded researchers are attacking journalists to standards that do not fit "in their standard of what is right and wrong Russia-criticism."
- There is a serious attack on press freedom to hang out reporters to be Putin agents without special coating,
just because they write things about fascism resurgence in Ukraine. I have no words for how serious this is, and it should be a matter for the whole media-Sweden, not only us, says Linderborg.
Must beware of conspiracies
The report has been discussed in many Swedish media since it was published on 5 January. Director of the Institute of International Affairs,
Mats Karlsson, took yesterday distance of the report and underlined in an article published in Aftonbladet that the report was not released by the department, but the researchers' own initiative. This is referred to in the Swedish media that sensational, and the debate continues in Sweden.
Julie Wilhelmsen, senior scientist at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), believes that among journalists is much talk about the existence of Russian disinformation also in Norway, but she has not yet seen evidence that it actually exists in the Norwegian press.
- Russia's driver propaganda and news channels that are extremely unidirectional, we know. The spread of so-called false news into the Norwegian public sphere, however, I have not seen examples, but I read the not everything written, says Wilhelmsen. [picture of Julie Wilhelmsen]
She warns media against speculating too much about this.
- There are many conspiracy theories that are out walking. This I am used to from Russian politics, but I am amazed at how conspiracy similar reasoning gets a foothold in the public debate in our western countries. Russia is capable of much. They engaged in disinformation, which all major states do. However, I have no hard evidence that this is such a widespread phenomenon in Norway as it is often given the impression, says Wilhelmsen.
She points out that we must ask ourselves what is disinformation and not.
- For example, I believe that it should be discussed on sanctions against Russia are an effective policy tool; is the opinion disinformation planted by the Russians or it is my honest opinion? There is an important distinction.
Lacking resources to scrutiny
Åsa Linderborg believes the Swedish debate in the wake of the report shows that the climate of the debate in Sweden has become narrower to navigate.
- Democracy requires that all opinions should be possible. This has become more difficult in Sweden in recent years because everything should follow a standard for what is called "correct" opinions. This debate is the latest example, says Linderborg.
She refers to the media industry's major savings in recent months, fewer journalists and less time for factual check as deterrents to take false news at the roots.
- We throw ourselves over reports and matters indiscriminately, and we publish to be first and to get the most clicks. We do not have the same resources to investigate cases before. They engaged in disinformation is mightier and more than journalists. But we must continue to be critical, says Linderborg.
- Evaluating our best defense
It has not yet succeeded Aftenposten to get in touch with the researchers behind the report. Aftonbladet says one of the researchers, Martin Kragh, that the current information flow higher demands to the authorities, politicians and the media's level of knowledge.
- This is not only a Russian phenomenon, but a phenomenon in the world politics, says Kragh to
Aftonbladet, mentioning IS as an example.
In addition, says Kragh to Aftonbladet that the
fear of disinformation can help to sharpen our source criticism, and so work to our advantage.
