Authorities being or not being on social media became an issue debated on Twitter during New Year's Day. The reason is a post and a series of comments made from the police instagram account.

- An authority's social media account should reflect the authority's role in society. In my opinion, therefore, one has to be factual and correct in their posts, says Mårten Schultz, professor of civil law at Stockholm University.

And that's exactly what the police on Instagram haven't been, according to him. Among other things, the one who moderated the police account responded to comments with an unpleasant tone - and with factual errors.

Factual error

- In one of the posts, it said that throwing bangers at blue-light personnel could mean life imprisonment. Something that, of course, could not happen unless something else happened in the case, says Mårten Schultz.

In a lengthy post on Twitter, the law professor points out other comments as condescending.

Part of Mårten Schultz's criticism of the police's official account on Instagram. Photo: Screenshot from Twitter

- The person who writes for the police account has a condescending and arrogant tone towards certainly hardworking, private accounts. But the police account must reflect the authority's work in reality, he says.

"No polarizing issues"

At the same time, he emphasizes that the police, like other Swedish authorities, should be on social media. But it is worth discussing how they should act.

- If you want to give a little rounder insight into the work of the police, you have to hire people who write in person about the work within the police. But the authority's own account should, in my opinion, use social media more as press releases. To give information, but not to go into polarizing questions, says Mårten Schultz, and continues:

- And this applies to all authorities with similar work, such as the Prosecutor's Office or the courts. It is unfortunate when the police appear as a quarrelsome influencer.

Police: "Human factor"

When the police became aware of the incorrect post, it was removed from the account.

- It was inappropriate and incorrect information that went out, which is now corrected. It was the human factor that came into play and we are now investigating how this can be prevented in the future, says Anna Engelbert from the National Police Contact Center.

- This is an account that will represent the authority. It should be accurate, factual and a nice tone, she says.