Right-wing ideology spreads among Swedish youth via social media

Right-wing extremist ideologies are on the rise among youths in Sweden, driven by social media platforms and their algorithms. According to anti-racism watchdog Expo, this trend has accelerated over recent years.

In its annual report, Expo highlighted how traditional organized groups have lost ground to more fluid networks of young people, particularly boys and men. The development aligns with the evolving nature of the digital age.

“Companies like Meta and X have significantly enhanced the visibility of right-wing extremist influencers,” explained Expo in their report. “This has enabled a broader audience to consume and spread hateful, racist, and extremist content online.”

Since Elon Musk’s acquisition of social media platform X in 2022 and Donald Trump’s election to the White House in 2024, these platforms have significantly facilitated the proliferation of this kind of harmful material. Expo noted that young people are particularly susceptible.

“Over the past few years, a growing number of youths have rejected democratic values,” stated the report, citing findings from Swedish youth surveys such as Ungdomsbarometern.

Moreover, “schoolchildren have shown increased intolerance towards minority groups,” reported Sweden’s public agency Living History Forum. These students frequently engage in online hate speech and spread antisemitic content through platforms like TikTok. Expo observed a trend where teenagers would post pictures of themselves engaged in everyday activities with the caption: “Hate Jews, Love Girls.”

Sweden’s intelligence service Sapo has warned repeatedly about the potential for youths to be radicalized online. Expo documented an increase from 1,245 extremist activities in extreme-right circles in 2024 to 1,465 by 2025 — mainly due to the rise of “Active Clubs,” loosely organized groups that meet in gyms and promote white-nationalist, misogynist, and hyper-masculine ideologies.

“Swedish right-wing extremism is undergoing a transformation, as traditional organizations struggle to engage new activists while new, more fluid networks attract young people,” noted Daniel Poohl, head of Expo. “This fragmented environment poses greater challenges for countermeasures.”

The trend highlights the need for immediate intervention and education programs to mitigate potential threats from these new extremist groups.