The series has a certain similarity with the so-called LVU campaign a few years ago, a disinformation campaign where Swedish authorities were claimed to kidnap Muslim children. It led to an increased threat against Sweden.
The LVU campaign focused specifically on children with Muslim background. That is not the case here, but rather children with different backgrounds are portrayed, says Sofia Bard, head of the unit for Sweden's image at the Swedish Institute to SVT.
"Dangerous for Sweden"
In the documentary series from the Qatar-based media company Al Jazeera, the image is presented that Swedish authorities take children into care on vague grounds, for example, that they had dirty clothes or that the family has a poor economy.
Among those interviewed is a man who says that his children were taken into care because he is Roma. However, according to court documents that SVT has taken part of, the children were exposed to, among other things, psychological abuse, did not attend school, and were hungry.
"This is dangerous for Sweden and risks seriously damaging the social services' important work of helping the children who are really suffering and need to be taken into care", writes Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (The Moderate Party) in a comment.
Several Western countries
The series does not only deal with Sweden but with several Western countries. It has been published on Al Jazeera's new platform 360 and has not yet gained much spread, but if it does, a negative image of Sweden may take hold, according to Sofia Bard.
We could see that in connection with the LVU campaign and the Koran burnings, she says.
