Säpo wants Facebook forced to store data

In a debate article in DN, Säpochefen expresses concern about an upcoming bill.

The bill is based on an EU directive. The directive gives EU countries the opportunity to introduce a regulation that provides messaging services on social media with the same obligation to assist law enforcement agencies as traditional telecommunications operators.

For example, it's about popular apps like Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp and Snapchat.

Säpo wants the operators to be obliged to store information about which individuals communicated with each other, as well as where and when it happened, in order to be able to access the information if there are suspicions of serious crime.

"But in a proposal prepared in the Government Offices, such messaging services are exempted from storage obligations in Sweden," writes the Chief Executive.

"If they make decisions based on the current proposal, the government will refrain from using this opportunity," Friberg told TT.

He also states that the government appears to want to investigate the matter further.

"Then I am afraid that here and now we are losing time in the important parts that help us move forward in preventing serious crimes," says Friberg.

He wants the government and parliament as soon as possible before the storage obligation. If that opportunity is not available, it could have "serious consequences" for Swedish law enforcement, warns the Chief of Säpoch in the debate article.

"I rate it during my career as a police and security police as one of the most important issues we have in order to improve our ability to fight crime," he says, pointing out that more and more traffic goes through social apps.

Minister of Energy and Digitization Anders Ygeman (S), who has the bill on his table, assures that the government is prepared to go a long way to meet Säpo's wishes.

-We basically have the same goals as Säpo, on the other hand we have slightly different perceptions on how to achieve it.

According to Ygeman, the government believes that a more extensive legislative change is needed than Säpo considers. The Minister points out that the collection law needs to be changed.

-We need to sit down with Säpo, says Ygeman.

Moderate jurisprudence spokesman Johan Forssell thinks it is embarrassing that Säpochef and other heads of government "constantly have to push the government in front of them to get legislation in place". According to Forssell, it is a pattern.

For example, many countries in the EU have long given the police the opportunity to read data. The Swedish police will have this opportunity this year. Another example is that Sweden has delayed criminalizing intercourse or participation in a terrorist organization.

A third example is that in many other European countries there are requirements for identification and registration when purchasing prepaid cards, which is lacking in Sweden. The government has appointed an inquiry into what will be completed this summer.

- Sweden's legislation has not been involved in the development of crime. This is particularly strange when Sweden is one of the countries with the biggest problems in terms of shooting and blasting, says Forssell.

Liberal jurisprudence spokesman Johan Pehrson would address Säpochefen's demands for a meeting at the Justice Department today.

"He has central points," says Pehrson about Säpochefens requirements.

He emphasizes that the Liberals have not yet taken a position on the issue, but believes that the government should consider meeting the requirement, otherwise it risks encountering political opposition.