2026-01-212025/26:KU18 · p.2KUConstitution
Personal data and digital search services
Constitutional protection for searchable personal data
What's at stake: Certain websites publish sensitive personal data about individuals and are constitutionally protected through a certificate of publication, which has allowed the data to be used by criminals to track individuals. The question is how the balance between personal privacy and freedom of expression should be regulated and how quickly the legislation should be changed.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The reserving parties (S, V, MP) wanted the government to swiftly legislate to narrow the constitutional protection for search services that make sensitive personal data searchable, while the committee held that the matter should await ongoing inquiries, a legal case before the EU Court of Justice, and supervision by the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee believes there is a need for changes to achieve adequate privacy protection, but points to a recently completed inquiry into the constitutional protection of search services, an ongoing inquiry into background checks, a legal case pending before the EU Court of Justice, and supervision by the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection, and therefore rejects the motions pending these processes.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 4 (S, V, MP)
The reserving parties (S, V, MP) argue that search services that publish sensitive personal data for commercial purposes constitute serious privacy violations and have been exploited for criminal purposes, that Sweden has faced EU criticism over this, and that the government should swiftly take legislative action to regulate the balance between personal privacy and freedom of expression, rather than waiting for further inquiry.
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, MP.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
The decision would have gone the other way
Explicit commitments that contradicted the vote: LLiberalerna
Ja 152–130Nej 138–144
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 0/19/0/3 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| S | No | No 0/92/0/14 | match | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| MP | No | No 0/16/0/2 | match | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | No | Abstain 0/0/20/4 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| L | No | Yes 14/0/0/2 | differsagainst own programme | confidence: medium | explicit |
| KD | No | Yes 17/0/0/2 | differs | confidence: medium | not addressed |
| M | No | Yes 59/0/0/9 | differs | confidence: low | not addressed |
| SD | Yes | Yes 61/0/0/10 | match | confidence: low | not addressed |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2025/26:474 by Carita Boulwén (SD) request 2, 2025/26:735 by Ingemar Kihlström (KD) requests 1 and 2, 2025/26:1413 by Sten Bergheden (M), 2025/26:1558 by Yusuf Aydin (KD), 2025/26:3583 by Muharrem Demirok et al. (C) request 21 and 2025/26:3721 by Jennie Nilsson et al. (S) request 15.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2025/26:474 av Carita Boulwén (SD) yrkande 2, 2025/26:735 av Ingemar Kihlström (KD) yrkandena 1 och 2, 2025/26:1413 av Sten Bergheden (M), 2025/26:1558 av Yusuf Aydin (KD), 2025/26:3583 av Muharrem Demirok m.fl. (C) yrkande 21 och 2025/26:3721 av Jennie Nilsson m.fl. (S) yrkande 15.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag rejected 60 proposals in motions on freedom of the press and expression and media matters submitted during the general motion period 2025. Among other things, the proposals concern freedom of expression on the internet and regulation of tech giants, personal data and digital search services, security for opinion-makers and media companies, illegal IPTV, media support and limiting the spread of pornography and depictions of serious violence. The Riksdag refers, among other things, to work being carried out on several issues.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to increase tech giants' responsibility for user identification in crime prevention and implement working age limits on social media. (S, V, MP) — 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 party programme establishes that all people have the right to protection of their personal privacy and wants to see online services based on users' freedom and self-determination instead of commercial exploitation of information.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme establishes that all people have the right to protection of their personal privacy and wants to see online services based on users' freedom and self-determination instead of commercial exploitation of information. Commercial search services that publish sensitive personal data go against that, which argues for swift legislation. The plan simultaneously safeguards freedom of expression as one of democracy's cornerstones, so the balance must be made carefully.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att alla människor har rätt till skydd av sin personliga integritet och vill se nättjänster som bygger på användarnas frihet och självbestämmande i stället för kommersiell exploatering av information. Kommersiella söktjänster som publicerar känsliga personuppgifter går tvärtemot det, vilket talar för skyndsam lagstiftning. Planen värnar samtidigt yttrandefriheten som en av demokratins byggstenar, så avvägningen måste göras varsamt.
- protection of personal privacydecisive»har rätt till skydd av sin personliga integritet.« (party programme ↗)“have the right to protection of their personal privacy.”
- online services on users' terms»ger på användarnas frihet, integritet och självbestämmande, medan« (party programme ↗)“is based on users' freedom, privacy and self-determination, whereas”
- freedom of expression as cornerstone»Några av den politiska demokratins viktigaste byggstenar« (party programme ↗)“Some of political democracy's most important cornerstones”
The plan demands protection of personal integrity and democratic rules for digital communication, and states that self-regulation of digital platforms has failed.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan demands protection of personal integrity and democratic rules for digital communication, and states that self-regulation of digital platforms has failed. Commercial search services that publish sensitive personal data are precisely such an unregulated activity the plan wants to address. Swift legislation to weigh integrity against freedom of expression is therefore in the plan's direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver skydd för den personliga integriteten och demokratiska spelregler för digital kommunikation, och konstaterar att självregleringen av de digitala plattformarna har brustit. Kommersiella söktjänster som publicerar känsliga personuppgifter är just en sådan oreglerad verksamhet planen vill komma åt. Skyndsam lagstiftning för att väga integritet mot yttrandefrihet ligger därför i planens riktning.
- protection of personal integritydecisive»Skydd för den personliga integriteten.« (party programme ↗)“Protection of personal integrity.”
- democratic rules digitally»Brutna oligopol och demokratiska spelregler för digital kommunikation och artificiell« (party programme ↗)“Broken oligopolies and democratic rules for digital communication and artificial”
- failed self-regulation»Självregleringen av dessa digitala plattformar har brustit.« (party programme ↗)“Self-regulation of these digital platforms has failed.”
- protected freedom of expression»Fri och oberoende media.« (party programme ↗)“Free and independent media.”
The plan states that the state has responsibility both for protecting people from crime and for respecting personal privacy, and highlights the possibility of personal privacy on digital platforms.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan states that the state has responsibility both for protecting people from crime and for respecting personal privacy, and highlights the possibility of personal privacy on digital platforms. Commercial search services that spread sensitive personal data and are used for criminal purposes strike at both these responsibilities. Meanwhile the plan wants to protect the Constitution against rapid changes, which calls for care rather than stopping measures.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att staten har ett ansvar både för att skydda människor från brott och för att respektera den personliga integriteten, och lyfter möjligheten till personlig integritet på digitala plattformar. Kommersiella söktjänster som sprider känsliga personuppgifter och används i kriminella syften träffar båda dessa ansvar. Samtidigt vill planen skydda grundlagen mot snabba förändringar, vilket manar till noggrannhet snarare än att stoppa åtgärder.
- privacy and crime protectiondecisive»Staten har ansvar både för att skydda människor från brott och för att respektera människors personliga integritet.« (party programme ↗)“The state has responsibility both for protecting people from crime and for respecting people's personal privacy.”
- personal privacy online»Sverige bör agera internationellt och inom EU för demokratisering, vilket innefattar transparens, möjlighet till personlig integritet och ett mer jämlikt åsiktsutbyte.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden should act internationally and within the EU for democratization, which includes transparency, the possibility of personal privacy and a more equitable exchange of opinion.”
- caution with the Constitution»skydda Sveriges grundlag mot snabba förändringar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect Sweden's Constitution against rapid changes.”
The party programme requires protection against both state and private intrusions into people's privacy and makes respect for personal privacy a cornerstone of democracy.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme requires protection against both state and private intrusions into people's privacy and makes respect for personal privacy a cornerstone of democracy. Commercial search services that publish sensitive personal data and are exploited for criminal purposes are precisely such a private intrusion. The plan also requires proportionality between privacy restrictions and purpose, which is the weighing the counter-proposal wants the legislator to make.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet kräver ett skydd mot både statliga och privata ingrepp i människors privatliv och gör respekten för den personliga integriteten till en grundsten i demokratin. Kommersiella söktjänster som publicerar känsliga personuppgifter och utnyttjas i kriminella syften är just ett sådant privat ingrepp. Planen kräver samtidigt proportionalitet mellan integritetsinskränkningar och syfte, vilket är den avvägning motförslaget vill att lagstiftaren gör.
- protection against private privacy intrusionsdecisive»det finnas ett skydd mot både statliga och privata ingrepp i människors privatliv.« (party programme ↗)“there must be protection against both state and private intrusions into people's privacy.”
- personal privacy as cornerstone»Respekten för den enskildes personliga integritet är en grundsten i varje demokrati.« (party programme ↗)“Respect for the individual's personal privacy is a cornerstone of every democracy.”
- privacy testing of legislationweak 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 privacy.”
- protection for protected identity»Vi vill bland annat att elektronisk fotboja används oftare och stärka skyddet för familjer med skyddad identitet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want, among other things, electronic tagging to be used more often and to strengthen protection for families with protected identity.”
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 explicitly states that publishing licences shall only be granted for media with journalistic content, which precisely affects commercial search services that are today protected by the constitution.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly states that publishing licences shall only be granted for media with journalistic content, which precisely affects commercial search services that are today protected by the constitution. It furthermore requires that protection for individual privacy is strengthened and that individuals shall have extensive opportunities for insight into how companies handle personal data. Swift legislative measures to regulate the balance therefore follow from the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen säger uttryckligen att utgivningsbevis enbart ska beviljas för media med journalistiskt innehåll, vilket träffar just de kommersiella söktjänster som i dag skyddas av grundlagen. Den kräver dessutom att skyddet för den enskildes integritet stärks och att individen ska ha vidsträckta möjligheter till insyn i företags hantering av personuppgifter. Skyndsamma lagstiftningsåtgärder för att reglera avvägningen följer därmed av planen.
- limited constitutional protection for search servicesdecisive»Utgivningsbevis ska enbart beviljas för media med journalistiskt innehåll.« (party programme ↗)“Publishing licences shall only be granted for media with journalistic content.”
- strengthened privacy protection»Skyddet för den enskildes integritet ska stärkas.« (party programme ↗)“Protection for individual privacy shall be strengthened.”
- insight into personal data handling»Den enskilde ska ha vidsträckta möjligheter att få insyn i hur de egna personuppgifterna hanteras av privata företag.« (party programme ↗)“Individuals shall have extensive opportunities to gain insight into how their personal data are handled by private companies.”
- awareness about data storage»Det behövs en ökad medvetenhet om företags lagring av personuppgifter exempelvis på nätet och i kunddatabaser.« (party programme ↗)“Increased awareness is needed about companies' storage of personal data for example online and in customer databases.”
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 counts integrity among the fundamental rights that the constitution should guarantee; intrusion into the protected sphere is a violation.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan requires that personal integrity has strong constitutional protection and counts integrity among the fundamental rights that the constitution should guarantee; intrusion into the protected sphere is a violation. It also establishes that freedom of expression cannot be invoked for acts that violate human dignity. Commercial search services that spread sensitive personal data are precisely targeted by this, and therefore the counter-proposal's demand for swift legislative action is supported by the plan.
Original (Swedish)
Planen kräver att den personliga integriteten har ett starkt grundlagsskydd och räknar integriteten till de grundläggande rättigheter grundlagen ska garantera; intrång i den fredade sfären är en kränkning. Den slår också fast att yttrandefriheten inte kan tas till intäkt för företeelser som kränker människovärdet. Kommersiella söktjänster som sprider känsliga personuppgifter träffas av just detta, och motförslagets krav på skyndsamma lagstiftningsåtgärder stöds därför av planen.
- strong privacy protectiondecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska ha ett starkt grundlagsskydd« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall have strong constitutional protection”
- the protected sphere»Intrång i den fredade sfär som varje person bör vara garanterad innebär att den personliga« (party programme ↗)“Intrusion into the protected sphere that every person should be guaranteed means that personal”
- the limits of freedom of expression»Yttrandefriheten kan inte tas till intäkt för företeelser som kränker människovärdet.« (party programme ↗)“Freedom of expression cannot be invoked for acts that violate human dignity.”
- privacy as a fundamental right»Sådana rättigheter är framför allt rätten till liv, personlig frihet och« (party programme ↗)“Such rights are above all the right to life, personal freedom and”
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 makes clear that personal integrity shall be protected against violations of the right to privacy, and the plan wants the constitution to provide practical and effective protection for individuals.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The party programme makes clear that personal integrity shall be protected against violations of the right to privacy, and the plan wants the constitution to provide practical and effective protection for individuals. Search services that commercially distribute sensitive personal information and are exploited for criminal purposes meet both these commitments, as does the plan's promise to strengthen protection for crime victims. Freedom of speech, however, sets limits on how far regulation can go.
Original (Swedish)
Partiprogrammet slår fast att den personliga integriteten ska värnas mot intrång i privatlivets helgd, och planen vill att grundlagen ger ett praktiskt och effektivt skydd för enskilda människor. Söktjänster som kommersiellt sprider känsliga personuppgifter och utnyttjas i kriminella syften träffar båda dessa åtaganden, liksom planens löfte att stärka skyddet för brottsoffer. Yttrandefriheten sätter dock gränser för hur långt en reglering kan gå.
- protected personal integritydecisive»Den personliga integriteten ska värnas, såväl från intrång« (party programme ↗)“Personal integrity shall be protected, including from intrusion”
- protection against criminal exploitation»Stärka skyddet för vittnen och brottsoffer« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen protection for witnesses and crime victims”
- effective protection for individuals»Vi måste se till att det inte bara är vackra ord, utan att grundlagen också ger ett praktiskt och effektivt skydd för enskilda människor i relation till exempelvis en kommun eller en statlig myndighet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We must ensure that it is not just fine words, but that the constitution also provides practical and effective protection for individuals in relation to for example a municipality or a state authority.”
- freedom of speech must be protected»Alternativet är censur, diskriminering och åsiktskorridorer.« (party programme ↗)“The alternative is censorship, discrimination and opinion corridors.”
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's central commitment in this area is to strengthen basic law protection of freedom of expression and to strengthen freedom of expression on the internet; freedom of expression, opinion and information are described as democracy's cornerstones.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's central commitment in this area is to strengthen basic law protection of freedom of expression and to strengthen freedom of expression on the internet; freedom of expression, opinion and information are described as democracy's cornerstones. The counter-proposal's demand for prompt legislation that shifts the balance against privacy protection means a restriction of constitutionally protected publishing. However, the plan's concern about criminals' mapping of individuals points in the opposite direction.
Original (Swedish)
Planens bärande åtagande på området är att grundlagens rättighetsskydd för yttrandefriheten förstärks och att yttrandefriheten på internet stärks; yttrande-, åsikts- och informationsfriheterna beskrivs som demokratins grundpelare. Motförslagets krav på skyndsam lagstiftning som förskjuter avvägningen mot integritetsskydd innebär en inskränkning av det grundlagsskyddade utgivandet. Planens oro för kriminellas kartläggning av enskilda drar dock åt motsatt håll.
- stronger basic law protection of freedom of expressiondecisive»Förstärka grundlagens rättighetsskydd vad gäller yttrandefrihet, äganderätt och frihet från religion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen basic law protection of rights regarding freedom of expression, property rights and freedom from religion”
- freedom of information as cornerstone»Yttrande-, åsikts- och informationsfriheterna är tre av demokratins grundpelare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Freedom of expression, opinion and information are three of democracy's cornerstones.”
- strengthened freedom of expression online»Stärka yttrandefriheten på Internet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen freedom of expression on the Internet”
- counter criminal networks»Motverka klanernas makt, både inom det offentliga och inom civilsamhället« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Counter the power of gangs, both within the public sector and within civil society”
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2025/26:KU18)
- Committee report full text (HD01KU18)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2025/26:1036 — Risker med Tiktok och kinesiskt statligt inflytande av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2025/26:1231 — Begränsning av ungas tillgång till digital nätporr av Åsa Eriksson och Eva Lindh (båda S)
- Motion 2025/26:1310 — EU-standard för frivillig "verified human"-märkning på digitala plattformar av Dzenan Cisija (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1313 — Centrum för undersökande journalistik av Per-Arne Håkansson (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1413 — Begränsning av personuppgifter i digitala söktjänster av Sten Bergheden (M)
- Motion 2025/26:1433 — Sociala medier-plattformar och grundläggande demokratiska villkor av Markus Selin (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1434 — Störande ljudnivåer vid reklamavbrott i radio och tv av Markus Selin (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1435 — Anonyma konton på sociala medier av Markus Selin (S)
- Motion 2025/26:1501 — Åtgärder mot populism, desinformation och mediekoncentration för att stärka demokratin av Jamal El-Haj (-)
- Motion 2025/26:1558 — Skydd av personuppgifter av Yusuf Aydin (KD)
- Motion 2025/26:219 — Avskaffande av svenskt presstöd av Elsa Widding (-)
- Motion 2025/26:2624 — Stärkt arbete för att motverka spridning av våldsam pornografi - ett digitalt barnskydd av Helena Vilhelmsson (C)
- Motion 2025/26:2747 — Mäns våld mot kvinnor av Annika Strandhäll (S)
- Motion 2025/26:2790 — Konstitutionella frågor av Jessica Wetterling m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:2900 — Förstärkt skydd för enskilda individer av Lars Beckman (M)
- Motion 2025/26:2991 — Stärkta krav på åldersverifiering för porrsajter av Marléne Lund Kopparklint m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2025/26:3183 — Kultur, civilsamhälle och medier av Catarina Deremar m.fl. (C)
- Motion 2025/26:323 — En politik för studenter av Nadja Awad m.fl. (V)
- Motion 2025/26:3238 — Tryggare digital uppväxtmiljö - barns rättigheter online av Marléne Lund Kopparklint m.fl. (M)
- Motion 2025/26:3405 — Ökad civil försvarsförmåga och stärkt krisberedskap av Emma Berginger m.fl. (MP)
Source: The Swedish Parliament