Editing Sweden Democrats (section)

===Anonymous social media accounts===
On May 7, 2024, one month prior to the [[2024 European Parliament election in Sweden|2024 EU elections]], the [[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] investigative journalism program {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}} ('Hard Facts') premiered a two-part documentary ({{lang|sv|{{ill|Undercover i trollfabriken|sv}}}}, 'Undercover in the Troll Factory')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalla fakta: Undercover i trollfabriken |url=https://www.tv4play.se/program/cd339dace9a80bb132d9/kalla-fakta-undercover-i-trollfabriken |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=www.tv4play.se |language=sv}}</ref> revealing that the Sweden Democrats systematically used anonymous accounts on [[social media]] platforms such as [[TikTok]], [[Twitter|X]] and [[Facebook]]. The scoop was obtained through the use of the [[Günter Wallraff|wallraff method]] where a reporter spent five months as an employee at the previously SD-owned YouTube channel Riks as well as the party's communications department,<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hellerud |first1=Emil |last2=Andersson |first2=Daniel |date=2024-06-05 |title=SD's troll factory revealed – reporter worked undercover |url=https://www.tv4.se/artikel/4A3ctxFCytb4R7kKQanI9H/sds-troll-factory-revealed-reporter-worked-undercover |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622214821/https://www.tv4.se/artikel/4A3ctxFCytb4R7kKQanI9H/sds-troll-factory-revealed-reporter-worked-undercover |archive-date=2024-06-22 |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] |language=}}</ref> documenting internal discussions on the party's communication strategies. The documentary revealed that at least 23 anonymous social media accounts were actually run from SD's communications department, spreading [[Xenophobia|xenophobic]] content and satirical attacks on opposing politicians from other parties, including [[deepfake]] videos. According to {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}}, posts from these accounts reached 27 million views across social media platforms.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hellerud |first1=Emil |last2=Andersson |first2=Daniel |date=2024-06-05 |title=Here are SD's 23 troll accounts – controlled by the party |url=https://www.tv4.se/artikel/BprNBEXypm6isEuiIYKwA/here-are-sds-23-troll-accounts-controlled-by-the-party |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[TV4 (Swedish TV channel)|TV4]] |language=}}</ref> SD's head of communication, Joakim Wallerstein, repeated earlier claims that the party does not run any anonymous social media accounts. However, according to Swedish newspaper [[Aftonbladet]], internal communication reveals that Wallerstein already in 2012 wanted to include anonymous internet campaigns as part of the party's strategy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stenquist |first=Victor |date=2024-05-17 |title=Interna mejlen avslöjar SD:s trollkonto-plan – för 12 år sen |trans-title=The internal emails reveal SD's troll-account-plan – 12 years ago |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/4Bq81E |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=[[Aftonbladet]] |language=sv}}</ref>

In an official response from the Sweden Democrats' leader Jimmie Åkesson, the {{lang|sv|Kalla fakta}} documentary was dismissed as a "gigantic, domestic influence operation by the left-liberal establishment".<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfQnKHlvEzE |title=Jimmie Åkessons tal till nationen |date=2024-05-14 |last=Åkesson |first=Jimmie |publisher=Sverigedemokraterna |trans-title=Jimmie Åkesson's speech to the nation |access-date=2024-06-22 |via=YouTube}}</ref> In numerous interviews, SD representatives toned down the content posted on the anonymous accounts as simple satire and humor material.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Parham |first=Babak |date=2024-05-17 |title=Sweden Democrats will not delete anonymous accounts |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/sweden-democrats-will-not-delete-anonymous-accounts |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=Sveriges Radio |language=en}}</ref> Following the documentary, and the party's response to it, SD received massive criticism from all other Swedish parliamentary parties.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hielle |first1=Lars-Peter |last2=Forsberg |first2=Daniel |date=2024-05-15 |title=Trollhistorien påverkar inte Tidö-samarbetet: 'Det ska fortsätta' |trans-title=The troll story does not affect the Tidö cooperation: "It will continue" |url=https://sverigesradio.se/artikel/trollhistorien-paverkar-inte-tido-samarbetet-det-ska-fortsatta |access-date=2024-06-22 |work=[[Sveriges Radio]] |language=sv}}</ref> The government parties accused SD of not following the [[Tidö Agreement]], which contains a clause about showing respect towards other parties. After a meeting on May 16, SD agreed that some of the anonymous accounts' posts went against the agreement and agreed to delete 45 posts. They did not agree to stop running anonymous accounts but said they would use a softer tone towards parties in the Tidö coalition.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Haglund |first1=Anja |last2=Svahn |first2=Niklas |last3=Wallberg |first3=Peter |last4=Ekström |first4=Johanna |date=2024-05-16 |title=SD ber om ursäkt – men stänger inte konton |trans-title=SD apologizes – but does not disable accounts |url=https://www.svd.se/a/vgQK1X/l-det-maste-fa-konsekvenser |access-date=2024-07-06 |work=Svenska Dagbladet |language=sv |issn=1101-2412 |quote=Vi är överens om vissa inlägg och tonaliteten i dem och att de inte ligger i linje med den respektklausul som finns i Tidöavtalet |trans-quote=We are in agreement about some posts and the tone of them and that they don't follow the respect clause of the Tidö agreement}}</ref>