2024-03-202023/24:KU9 · p.4KUConstitution
Limit search accessibility for certain personal data
Constitutional protection for searchable personal data in databases
What's at stake: The issue concerns the balance between constitutional press and expression freedom and the protection of individuals' personal privacy; searchable websites with sensitive personal data can be used by criminals to map individuals, while narrower constitutional protection would limit the freedom of media and search services to operate.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether parliament should legislate exceptions to the constitutional protection for searchable personal data — such as criminal-record or psychiatric compulsory-care information — now, or whether the matter should wait for the ongoing government inquiry.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee continues to consider that changes are needed to the voluntary constitutional protection for databases in order to achieve adequate protection against privacy violations, and welcomes the fact that the government has set up a new inquiry into constitutional protection for search services that publish personal data. The committee does not want to pre-empt the inquiry's findings and therefore rejects the motions.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 4 (S, V)
The reservation points out that searchable internet databases publish sensitive personal data, such as criminal-record or psychiatric compulsory-care information, which seriously infringes personal privacy and can be used by criminals to map individuals, and wants the government to bring forward new legislation introducing exceptions in the constitutional press- and expression-freedom laws for such sensitive data.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 4 by S, V.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have held
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 183–110Ja 172–121
Counterfactual: the parties above are moved to the position their own documents explicitly point at, carrying their whole contingent present. Every other party keeps its real figures, including dissenters and absentees.
How the AI parties would have voted
For each party: what its own plan – election manifesto and party programme – argues for in this case, next to how the party actually voted. The AI can only answer Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| AI | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | No 0/18/0/6 | match | confidence: low | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/91/0/15 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| MP | Yes | Yes 15/0/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | derived |
| C | No | Yes 21/0/0/3 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 11/0/0/5 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: high | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 15/0/0/4 | differs | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | No | Yes 58/0/0/10 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 62/0/0/10 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
Committee proposal
Parliament rejects the motions 2023/24:269 by Yusuf Aydin (KD), 2023/24:280 by David Perez (SD), 2023/24:440 by Jessica Wetterling et al. (V) petition 12, 2023/24:1840 by Carita Boulwén (SD) petition 2, 2023/24:2299 by Sten Bergheden (M) and 2023/24:2685 by Ida Karkiainen et al. (S) petition 10.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:269 av Yusuf Aydin (KD), 2023/24:280 av David Perez (SD), 2023/24:440 av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V) yrkande 12, 2023/24:1840 av Carita Boulwén (SD) yrkande 2, 2023/24:2299 av Sten Bergheden (M) och 2023/24:2685 av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S) yrkande 10.
Riksdag decision: Parliament rejected around forty proposals in motions from the general motion period 2023. Parliament refers primarily to ongoing work. The motions dealt with, among other things, review of the crime of hate speech against groups in the constitutional laws, freedom of expression on the internet and regulation of tech giants, a supervisory function for foreign direct investments in Swedish media companies, limiting search accessibility for certain personal data, language use in radio and television, and advertising directed at children.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to limit searchability for sensitive personal data through exceptions to freedom of the press and freedom of expression legislation. (S, V) — Reservation 4
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan establishes that everyone has the right to a broad private sphere and that growing surveillance and registration should be counteracted, and that deepened democracy requires that personal integrity be valued.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan establishes that everyone has the right to a broad private sphere and that growing surveillance and registration should be counteracted, and that deepened democracy requires that personal integrity be valued. Commercial search services that spread information about criminal records and compulsory care are such registration. At the same time, the plan counts freedom of the press and freedom of expression among democracy's most important building blocks, which makes the trade-off uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att alla har rätt till en bred privat sfär och att växande övervakning och registrering ska motverkas, samt att en fördjupad demokrati kräver att den personliga integriteten värnas. Kommersiella söktjänster som sprider uppgifter om brottsregister och tvångsvård är en sådan registrering. Samtidigt räknar planen tryck- och yttrandefriheten till demokratins viktigaste byggstenar, vilket gör avvägningen osäker.
- against registration and surveillanceweak support»Alla människor har rätt till en bred privat sfär som skyddas på praktisk och principiell grund. Växande övervakning och registrering ska motverkas.« (party programme ↗)“All people have the right to a broad private sphere that is protected on a practical and principled basis. Growing surveillance and registration should be counteracted.”
- personal integritydecisive»En fördjupad demokrati innebär också att vi slår vakt om den personliga integriteten och fundamentala principer i en rättsstat.« (party programme ↗)“A deepened democracy also means that we stand guard for personal integrity and fundamental principles in a state governed by law.”
- freedom of the press and expression»föreningsfriheten, yttrande- och tryckfriheten, offentlighetsprincipen« (party programme ↗)“freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of the press, principles of public access”
flags: citat_svagt
The party programme calls it society's absolute duty to protect personal integrity and prevent the internet from being used for harassment, and warns that technology is used to profile individuals.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme calls it society's absolute duty to protect personal integrity and prevent the internet from being used for harassment, and warns that technology is used to profile individuals. Searchable databases with information on criminal records and compulsory care are precisely such profiling. The plan therefore supports the counter-proposal's demand for exceptions for sensitive personal data, despite the strong value placed on freedom of expression.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kallar det samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda den personliga integriteten och förhindra att nätet används för kränkningar, och varnar för att tekniken används för att kartlägga enskilda. Sökbara databaser med uppgifter om brottsregister och tvångsvård är just en sådan kartläggning. Planen bär därför motförslagets krav på undantag för känsliga personuppgifter, trots det starka värnet om yttrandefriheten.
- absolute duty to protect integritydecisive»Det är samhällets absoluta skyldighet att skydda friheten och den personliga integriteten och att förhindra att nätet används för förtal, hets mot folkgrupp, kränkningar av enskilda personer och hot om våld.« (party programme ↗)“It is society's absolute duty to protect freedom and personal integrity and to prevent the internet from being used for slander, incitement against groups, harassment of individuals and threats of violence.”
- profiling threatens integrity»Den personliga integriteten hotas när kommersiella och andra aktörer använder tekniken för att kartlägga den enskildes intressen och vanor.« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity is threatened when commercial and other actors use technology to profile individuals' interests and habits.”
- technology as a tool for harassment»Tekniken används för personliga kränkningar och för att sprida förtal.« (party programme ↗)“Technology is used for personal harassment and to spread slander.”
The election manifesto, which carries most weight, wishes to protect the Constitution against rapid changes and strengthen freedom of expression, while the counter-proposal requires new exceptions in the constitutionally entrenched rules on freedom of the press and expression.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto, which carries most weight, wishes to protect the Constitution against rapid changes and strengthen freedom of expression, while the counter-proposal requires new exceptions in the constitutionally entrenched rules on freedom of the press and expression. The party programme calls freedom of expression and free public debate invaluable. The plan certainly also values personal privacy, but the commitment bearing this vote is protection of the Constitution against rapid restrictions.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet, som väger tyngst, vill skydda grundlagen mot snabba förändringar och förstärka yttrandefriheten, medan motförslaget kräver nya undantag i de grundlagsfästa reglerna om tryck- och yttrandefrihet. Partiprogrammet kallar yttrandefriheten och den fria åsiktsbildningen ovärderliga. Planen värnar visserligen också den personliga integriteten, men det åtagande som bär den här voteringen är skyddet av grundlagen mot snabba inskränkningar.
- Constitution protected against rapid changesdecisive»skydda Sveriges grundlag mot snabba förändringar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect Sweden's Constitution against rapid changes.”
- strengthened freedom of expression»förstärka yttrandefriheten och stödja oberoende medier i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“strengthen freedom of expression and support independent media across the country.”
- free public debate»fria åsiktsbildningen är ovärderliga.« (party programme ↗)“free public debate is invaluable.”
- safeguarded personal privacy»Vi vill värna människors rätt till integritet och« (party programme ↗)“We wish to safeguard people's right to privacy and”
The party programme makes strong privacy protection an indispensable part of a democratic society and requires protection against both government and private interference in people's privacy.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes strong privacy protection an indispensable part of a democratic society and requires protection against both government and private interference in people's privacy. Searchable databases that spread information about crimes and compulsory care are exactly such a private interference. At the same time, the plan values press freedom and wants to make the constitution harder to change, which makes support uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet gör ett starkt integritetsskydd till en omistlig del av ett demokratiskt samhälle och kräver skydd mot både statliga och privata ingrepp i människors privatliv. Sökbara databaser som sprider uppgifter om brott och tvångsvård är just ett sådant privat ingrepp. Samtidigt värnar planen pressfriheten och vill göra grundlagen svårare att ändra, varför stödet är osäkert.
- strong privacy protectiondecisive»Ett starkt integritetsskydd är därför en omistlig del av ett öppet och demokratiskt samhälle.« (party programme ↗)“Strong privacy protection is therefore an indispensable part of an open and democratic society.”
- protection against private interference»det finnas ett skydd mot både statliga och privata ingrepp i människors privatliv.« (party programme ↗)“there is protection against both government and private interference in people's privacy.”
- integrity review of lawsweak support»All lagstiftning bör prövas mot dess påverkan på människors personliga integritet.« (party programme ↗)“All legislation should be tested against its impact on people's personal integrity.”
- protected press freedom»Pressfriheten ska skyddas och oberoende public service försvaras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Press freedom must be protected and independent public service defended.”
flags: citat_svagt
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan requires that publishing licences are granted only for media with journalistic content, which is exactly the limitation of the voluntary constitutional protection that search services with sensitive personal data raise.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that publishing licences are granted only for media with journalistic content, which is exactly the limitation of the voluntary constitutional protection that search services with sensitive personal data raise. The plan also wants to strengthen protection for the individual's integrity and the individual's insight into how personal data is handled. That press and opinion freedom shall be protected at the same time makes the intervention narrow, but not unlawful.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att utgivningsbevis enbart beviljas för media med journalistiskt innehåll, vilket är precis den begränsning av det frivilliga grundlagsskyddet som söktjänster med känsliga personuppgifter aktualiserar. Planen vill också stärka skyddet för den enskildes integritet och den enskildes insyn i hur personuppgifter hanteras. Att tryck- och yttrandefriheten samtidigt ska värnas gör ingreppet snävt, men inte otillåtet.
- publishing licences only for journalismdecisive»Utgivningsbevis ska enbart beviljas för media med« (party programme ↗)“Publishing licences shall only be granted for media with”
- strengthened integrity protection»Skyddet för den enskildes integritet ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Protection for the individual's integrity shall be strengthened.”
- insight into personal data handling»Den enskilde ska ha vidsträckta möjligheter att få insyn i hur de egna personuppgifterna hanteras« (party programme ↗)“The individual shall have extensive opportunities to gain insight into how their own personal data is handled”
- protect press and opinion freedom»Mediernas oberoende måste värnas. Tryck- och yttrandefrihetslagstiftningen har en unik och stark« (party programme ↗)“Media independence must be protected. Press and opinion freedom legislation has a unique and strong”
The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.
The plan requires that personal integrity has strong constitutional protection and that the public handles personal data with great care.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that personal integrity has strong constitutional protection and that the public handles personal data with great care. It also establishes that freedom of expression cannot be invoked for things that violate human dignity. Restricting the searchability of sensitive information such as criminal records thus follows from the plan, despite its simultaneous protection of freedom of expression.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att den personliga integriteten har ett starkt grundlagsskydd och att det offentliga hanterar personuppgifter med stor försiktighet. Den slår också fast att yttrandefriheten inte kan tas till intäkt för sådant som kränker människovärdet. Att begränsa sökbarheten för känsliga uppgifter som brottsregister följer därmed av planen, trots dess samtidiga värn om yttrandefriheten.
- strong integrity protectiondecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska ha ett starkt« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall have a strong”
- limits of freedom of expression»Yttrandefriheten kan inte tas till intäkt för« (party programme ↗)“Freedom of expression cannot be invoked for”
- careful handling of personal data»försiktighet och respekt för den personliga integriteten« (party programme ↗)“care and respect for personal integrity”
- protection of freedom of expression»Ett starkt skydd för yttrande- och meddelarfriheten« (party programme ↗)“Strong protection for freedom of expression and freedom of communication”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The party programme states that personal integrity should be protected against intrusion into private life, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen witness protection and break the code of silence that gangs create.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme states that personal integrity should be protected against intrusion into private life, and the election manifesto wants to strengthen witness protection and break the code of silence that gangs create. Search functions that make criminal records and involuntary care searchable facilitate criminal mapping of individuals. That the plan at the same time requires unquestionable constitutional protection for free speech makes the conclusion uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att den personliga integriteten ska värnas mot intrång i privatlivets helgd, och valmanifestet vill stärka skyddet för vittnen och bryta den tystnadskultur som gängen skapar. Söktjänster som gör brottsregister och tvångsvård sökbara underlättar just kriminell kartläggning av enskilda. Att planen samtidigt kräver ett oavvisligt grundlagsskydd för yttrandefriheten gör slutsatsen osäker.
- protect personal integritydecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska värnas, såväl från intrång« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall be protected, both from intrusion”
- protection for witnesses»Stärka skyddet för vittnen och brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen protection for witnesses and crime victims”
- gangs' mapping silences witnesses»Samtidigt breder en tystnadskultur ut sig i de utsatta områdena där gängen styr. Människor vågar inte vittna.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“At the same time a code of silence is spreading in vulnerable areas where gangs control. People do not dare testify.”
- constitutional protection for free speech»Våra grundlagar ska ge ett oavvisligt skydd för« (party programme ↗)“Our fundamental laws should provide unquestionable protection for”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The counter-proposal wants to write exceptions into the constitutionally anchored rules on freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The counter-proposal wants to write exceptions into the constitutionally anchored rules on freedom of the press and freedom of expression. The plan's stated commitment goes in the opposite direction: the Constitution's protection of freedom of expression shall be strengthened and freedom of expression on the internet strengthened, since freedom of expression, freedom of opinion and freedom of information are described as democracy's foundations. The plan recognizes no privacy exception from that protection.
Original (Swedish)
Motförslaget vill skriva in undantag i de grundlagsfästa tryck- och yttrandefrihetsreglerna. Planens uttalade åtagande går i motsatt riktning: grundlagens rättighetsskydd för yttrandefriheten ska förstärkas och yttrandefriheten på internet stärkas, eftersom yttrande-, åsikts- och informationsfriheterna beskrivs som demokratins grundpelare. Planen erkänner inget integritetsundantag från det skyddet.
- strengthened constitutional protection of freedom of expressiondecisive»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the Constitution's protection of rights concerning freedom of expression, property rights and freedom from religion”
- freedom of information as a foundation»Yttrande-, åsikts- och informationsfriheterna är tre av demokratins grundpelare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Freedom of expression, freedom of opinion and freedom of information are three of democracy's foundations.”
- freedom of expression online»Stärka yttrandefriheten på Internet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen freedom of expression on the Internet”
- free publishing shall be protected»Varje journalists, konstutövares och medborgares rätt att uttrycka sig fritt utan att utsättas för hot eller repressalier ska värnas och stärkas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Every journalist's, artist's and citizen's right to express themselves freely without being subjected to threats or retaliation shall be protected and strengthened.”
Share and embed
Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:KU9)
- Committee report full text (HB01KU9)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:1049 — Pornografins skadeverkningar av Roland Utbult (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:1134 — Översyn av lagen om hets mot folkgrupp av Jan Ericson och Lars Beckman (båda M)
- Motion 2023/24:1764 — Olämpligt språkbruk i radio och tv av Michael Rubbestad (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:1840 — Ökat skydd av personuppgifter av Carita Boulwén (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:2299 — Begränsning av personuppgifter på digitala söktjänster av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2023/24:2466 — Utrikes- och biståndspolitik av Kerstin Lundgren m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2490 — Demokrati och konstitution av Malin Björk m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2589 — Moderniserad lagstiftning för att motverka spridning av våldsam pornografi, ett digitalt barnskydd av Helena Vilhelmsson m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2023/24:2626 — Digitaliseringspolitik för klimat, trygghet och tillväxt av Gunilla Svantorp m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2640 — Utgiftsområde 4 Rättsväsendet av Ardalan Shekarabi m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2664 — Jämställdhetspolitisk motion av Janine Alm Ericson m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2669 — Rättspolitik av Märta Stenevi m.fl. (MP)
- Motion 2023/24:2685 — Utgiftsområde 1 Rikets styrelse av Ida Karkiainen m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2686 — Utgiftsområde 17 Kultur, medier, trossamfund och fritid av Lawen Redar m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:269 — Skydd av personuppgifter av Yusuf Aydin (KD)
- Motion 2023/24:280 — Utredning om hur privatpersoners integritet kan värnas av David Perez (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:355 — Mediefrågor av Alexander Christiansson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:413 — Sverigevänlig konsumentpolitik av Mikael Eskilandersson m.fl. (SD)
- Motion 2023/24:440 — Demokrati, integritet och transparens av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2023/24:448 — Yttrandefrihet på internet av Tobias Andersson m.fl. (SD)
Source: The Swedish Parliament