Foreign powers seek to influence elections – how propaganda enters your feed
Foreign powers and troll factories are targeting Sweden ahead of upcoming elections. With fake news sites and satirical videos, the Russian propaganda apparatus is attempting to influence the feeds of Swedish voters.
What happened?
Dagens Nyheter reports on how foreign powers and troll factories are working to spread propaganda in the digital feeds of Swedish users ahead of elections. The global influence industry uses methods such as satirical videos and fake news sites to affect how people think, act, and vote. The Russian propaganda apparatus is identified as one of the actors targeting Sweden and other European countries.
Key facts
| Publiceringsdatum | 27 februari 2026 |
|---|---|
| Huvudaktör bakom påverkan | Ryska trollfabriker och Kreml |
| Berörda svenska händelser | LVU-kampanjen och påskkravallerna |
Why it matters
Digital propaganda and influence campaigns have been linked to serious gatherings and events both in Sweden and internationally. Examples cited include the LVU campaign and the Easter riots in Sweden, as well as the riots in Southport, United Kingdom. These events demonstrate how foreign interference can exacerbate tensions and incite violence.
Who is affected?
The news affects Swedish citizens and voters who are exposed to digital propaganda in their feeds. It also affects Swedish authorities working with information security and the integrity of the electoral system, as well as the technical platforms where the content is spread.
Impact on the EU
EU countries such as Germany, France, Hungary, and Moldova have experienced influence campaigns in connection with elections. EU-wide platform regulations, such as the Digital Services Act (DSA), aim to impose requirements on large tech companies to counter the spread of disinformation and malicious propaganda.
What else you should know
The reporting highlights how foreign influence campaigns exploit, among other things, satirical videos and fake news sites to reach users on social media. The objective of foreign powers is to manipulate public opinion and influence election results and social discourse in democratic nations.
Quick answers about this story
Vad har hänt?
När hände det?
Varför spelar det roll?
Vilka berörs i Sverige?
The link opens in a new window and leads to the publisher's own site.
Källan har spårats automatiskt från utgivaren via Aheadlines signalkedja.
AI-verktyg i artikeln
Topics
Get similar news straight to your inbox
The reader's room
Send in a question or an addition. The newsroom reads everything before it's published and replies when relevant. No AI-generated text – just people.
Sign in to submit a comment or question.
Read the article through your role
- Decide whether this affects strategy over 6–12 months or is just noise.
- Discuss with leadership: do we own the right question or does ownership need to move?
- Ask: what risk are we taking by NOT acting on this this quarter?
Generated angle — not editorial analysis of "Foreign powers seek to influence elections – how propaganda "