On Monday, the government's investigators proposed that the police be allowed to create fictional child pornography as a new provocative measure. This in preliminary investigations into serious sexual crimes against children or aggravated child pornography crimes.
In a way, we see a need for this. We have to think new thoughts and try some new tools. At the same time, it is important that very clear guidelines are formed about how this is handled, says Susanna Pettersson.
She is supported by Ida Östensson, secretary general of the children's rights organization Child X:
We see a risk of increased normalization and dissemination of abuse material and that it will become a sliding scale. At the same time, we must weigh these risks against the need to be able to access forums where abuse is happening right now, in order to be able to stop it in time.
Unclear frameworks
The investigation points to the need for the police to gain access to closed forums where images of abuse are disseminated or where filmed abuse is taking place. The key to getting in is often to share abuse material yourself.
Exactly how the police material, which could be video, is to be created is left open. The investigation states that "using tools based on real children or events should, however, be acceptable as a starting point". At the same time, the investigation states that the images should not "depict a real child".
"It must not be the case that these tools are trained on existing abuse material. It would only be a repetition of the abuse for the vulnerable children," says Susanna Pettersson.
“Risk of normalization”
Although modern technology makes it easier to track abuse material, both Pettersson and Östensson see risks with the police creating new content.
None of this is easy. There is also a risk of normalizing images of abuse, says Ida Östensson.
"This is not the big solution. This is not something that can only be solved as a police issue," says Susanna Pettersson.
More actors
Pettersson highlights, among other things, that responsibility also lies with the AI companies and platforms, which indirectly enable the material to be created and shared.
But it is also difficult to demand accountability. Who should be punished? And for what?
Östensson wants to see stricter requirements for tech companies.
There has been talk of voluntary measures for a long time. It does not have sufficient effect.
Giving the police the opportunity to create fictional child pornography is part of the proposals for new provocative measures to catch criminals.
"In order for the Police Authority to be able to share fictitious child pornography images, the authority must have them at its disposal. This can be done by the authority producing or otherwise gaining access to such images," the investigation states.
"If the authority does not already possess such a (fictitious) image, it should have the opportunity to create such an image," it further states.
The measure should be "of particular importance to the investigation" and must be decided by the prosecutor.
Investigator Stefan Johansson proposes that the proposals come into force on March 1, 2027. They are now being reviewed.
Source: Special provocative measures, SOU 2025:109
