STOCKHOLM: Swedish police said on Friday they have demanded tech giants Tiktok and Meta take down 30 posts offering payment for criminal services, as criminals increasingly make use of social networks.
The Nordic country has struggled for more than a decade to rein in a surge in gang violence linked primarily to score-settling and battles to control the drug market.
Swedish gangs use social media and encrypted apps to recruit teens who are paid to carry out crimes, including murders, knowing they would avoid prison sentences if arrested.
“Since July 15, we have had legislation that allows us to order platforms to remove online recruitment content within one hour,” a police spokeswoman said in an email. Since then, “we have sent 29 orders to TikTok and one to Meta”, she added.
The platforms had complied, but police were still calling for greater awareness and for tech companies to step up their monitoring and moderation of content.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2026
