Sweden proposes law giving police power to order platform removal of gang recruitment content within one hour, with DSA-derogation granted

The Swedish Government submitted a Lagrådsremiss on 4 May 2026 proposing a new law giving police power to order digital platforms to remove online gang recruitment content within one hour. The law targets the crime-as-a-service model in which criminal networks openly use social media to recruit perpetrators for shootings and bombings, particularly targeting minors. A sanction fee of up to five million kronor applies for non-compliance; systematic failures trigger up to four percent of global turnover. The proposal has been notified to the EU Commission under the Digital Services Act framework, which granted a derogation from the standstill period given Sweden’s acute gang violence situation. Sweden recorded 62 fatal shootings in 2025 — more than six times the combined total of the other Nordic countries. The law is proposed to enter into force on 15 July 2026.