For a year, Kalla fakta’s reporter has followed SD’s troll factory closely with the help of a hidden camera. This is what we have been able to document:
• Cold facts have identified 23 accounts that are operated from SD’s communications department without it being apparent. On the inside of the party, the numbers 50, 70 and 100 accounts are also mentioned, but the names of the accounts are usually not discussed openly and the exact number is therefore unknown to Cold Facts.
• These are thirteen accounts on TikTok, three accounts on Youtube, three accounts on Instagram and four accounts on Facebook. Two of the accounts are “White Offended Women” and “Politically Incorrect”.
• SD has also employed two influencers who produce political material without it being apparent that the Sweden Democrats are behind it.
• The operation is financed, among other things, with tax money via the party contributions SD receives.
• The Sweden Democrats’ anonymous accounts spread xenophobic clips and mass-produce misleading information about Sweden, as well as attack politicians from other parties.
• Humor is described by the online warriors as an effective tool to convince young people to become Sweden Democrats.
• In a clip from the hidden camera, party employees discuss how to spread disinformation about the Social Democrats in Arabic during the election campaign and, among other things, call for “violent resistance”.
• Communications manager Joakim Wallerstein acts to bypass what is called a “troll factory block” on Tiktok by buying new mobile phones for the online warriors for tens of thousands of kroner.
• When two employees have to leave their computers at the workshop, they are scolded by the communications manager Joakim Wallerstein. He is afraid that it will lead to big headlines in the press if the contents of the cyber warrior’s computer become known.
• Employees make deep fakes with AI of votes of political opponents. For example, they make Magdalena Andersson say things she has never said.
• Jimmie Åkesson allegedly knows about one of the employees’ anonymous accounts and that it is approved from above. Jimmie Åkesson dismisses the latter as boasting from the employee.
• The YouTube channel Riks is claimed to be independent and independent – but is connected in several ways to the Communications Department. Their material is an important part of the troll factory’s machinery, and the party’s employees have direct access to Rik’s IT system.