(cont.) Culture, media, religious communities and leisure (cont. KrU1)

Peter Ollén (M)

Madam Speaker! First, I would like to extend a thank you to all the cultural creators who are hopefully listening to this debate via television sets all around the country.

In a time of political polarization, it feels gratifying to belong to the Culture Committee, where we have chosen to work together in several areas.

Now in December, our joint investigation of the gaming industry and how we can best support it politically will be presented. Representatives from all eight parties have, under the leadership of Lars Mejern Larsson, worked on this for a year and a half. We have traveled around and met this industry, which until now has been quite invisible politically despite turning over almost twice as much as the music and film industries combined.

Over 9,000 employees now know that we care. Together, we have eight parties who have also noted that more practically oriented training is needed and that there need to be clusters to join where one can, at a low cost, sit with like-minded people. We also say that when the industry exports, it should be able to receive help from Swedish authorities.

In the cultural and creative industries, 230,000 people work. This is now defined as a Swedish base industry.

Madam Speaker! The use of illegal IP-TV is increasing sharply. Over 2,000 websites now offer thousands of channels at a cost of a couple of hundred kronor instead of 1,000 kronor. They offer sports, films, and series but pay no royalties to either filmmakers or sports. This has devastating consequences. In four years, the number of users has increased from 200,000 to 700,000 Swedish households. In the background, there are crime syndicates that deliver the services and take the majority of the money. The film industry alone loses 300–400 million annually to illegal TV.

Illegal IP-TV is very worrying even when it comes to false news reporting. There are already 850 known fake SVT segments online. Illegal IP-TV, which now reaches so many, is a powerful weapon for those who want to tell that Gotland is now invaded or show images of how the Swedish government is fleeing the country – all with the aim of frightening and inciting.

That we in the Swedish Riksdag are working together to stop illegal IP-TV, we demonstrated last week, when leaders from seven of the Culture Committee's eight parties met the affected TV companies, sports, and film during a joint meeting here in the House.

The fight against disinformation has only just begun. Youtube and Google stated that they removed 4.1 billion illegal items last year.

Madam Speaker! It was very pleasing that Copyswede, after many years of fighting in court, secured 2 billion kronor from the data industry. These funds are now distributed to creative creators within a range of areas. It is a very welcome addition, which is furthermore followed by 200 million annually.

Madam Speaker! The next great challenge is copyright within artificial intelligence. When one seeks answers and help, compensation should naturally be given to the one who created that which provides the help.

We now need AI models based solely on Swedish material, so that the person who wants to create an illustration, find a drum beat or have help with a text can receive this support while the creator gets paid.

Stim has created a model that works for music. The Royal Library has received the government's mandate to input all its material. And Bonus has said it is ready to take on the responsibility of distributing compensation payments.

If we do this correctly and secure a wise and sustainable model, Sweden can avoid the complete chaos that currently prevails in the USA, where protests are being driven across the entire country.

Let us create a Swedish AI model that the parties agree on – newspaper publishers, authors, composers, illustrators and many more. Just as the carpenter receives compensation for their work, the creatives shall be paid for what they do.

Let me finally express a joy over what in my eyes is the most important thing that has happened in the field of culture during this parliamentary term.

We took office in a reality where every fifth student left ninth grade without being able to read, write, and count. We have now funded physical books in primary school, and the ambition is that no one should leave third grade without basic skills.

We have made an active choice to invest in children's and young people's reading during this period. The textbook support is 755 million kronor this year alone; it was zero when we took office. Now, staffed school libraries shall be present in all schools. This costs 460 million kronor annually. And hundreds of additional millions have gone toward purchasing books for the libraries.

I simultaneously have deep respect for those who have been painfully affected when funds have been redistributed. I truly hope that we can get growth started, so that even the funds for the performing and visual arts can increase.

The Moderates have their focus on reading and learning for children and young people, on a legal struggle so that creative people shall receive compensation for their work, and on finding ways for broader support for culture.

In conclusion, I would like to move for approval of the committee's proposal.

(Applause)

In this speech, Carl Nordblom (M) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Vasiliki Tsouplaki (V)

Madam Speaker! I heard that Peter Ollén wanted to reply to my speech earlier and did not get the chance. Therefore, we will have a short exchange of remarks now.

What I intended to discuss is the compensation for the development of an AI model. I discussed that question earlier with Peter Ollén's colleague. It sounded like there were new updates.

When the government presented its budget in September, there was massive criticism from Tidningsutgivarna, Författarförbundet, Förläggareföreningen and several others. They pointed out that there was no funding in the government's budget for the copyright compensation when it came to the development of the AI model at the Kungliga biblioteket. But now it sounded like the member had new information. It sounded promising, so I want to ask the member: Has anything new happened regarding the possibilities for compensation? If there is no money in the budget, I wonder if the Kungliga biblioteket will have to cough this up from some other part of its funding. Or how is it intended that the issue should be resolved?

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Peter Ollén (M)

Madam Speaker! It is quite true that the assignment was given to KB in the budget and that the parties have since pointed out the inappropriateness. This is according to EU legislation. When one uses copyright-protected material for research, one is allowed to do so without compensation being given to the rights holders. What was then intended from KB's side was that this would be scanned and merely made available for the research.

I believe there is a too limited way of thinking in that. They will surely scan this and create a model with the unique thing we have in Sweden – the mandatory copies are sent to the Royal Library – one must also, of course, find a model so that the public can get access to this and find solutions for payment.

It is what Copyswede has done with the 2 billion that I spoke about here, and it is what Bonus does when it comes to the copying compensation. It is also done in its most basic form every time one borrows a library book; I believe that as an author, one receives around 2.30 in compensation per loan.

In Norway, 30 or 40 million are distributed to rights holders according to the same model as Bonus, for example, when scanning at the library, and I know that a discussion is currently ongoing on how we should do this before we make the material available from KB.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Vasiliki Tsouplaki (V)

Madam Speaker! Thank you, Peter Ollén, for the answer! It does not seem like it is completely clear, but that the government is working on the issue. Is that how I should interpret the answer?

I think there is a difference when it comes to research and library activities. This is a mission to develop an AI model, and I think it is a bit more than the duty of confidentiality. Those who have submitted their material to the Royal Library, surely with pleasure, could not have foreseen that it would be used specifically for AI development.

I think it is very important that a Swedish language model for AI use is developed that the public sector can utilize, but then one must also ensure that the authors receive fair payment. I think that even if it were to turn out that it is possible to use the EU directive in that way, it is morally wrong. The government still has an obligation to ensure that the Royal Library can pay authors, journalists, and so on for the use of the material, otherwise we are essentially building in a conflict and a bad feeling surrounding this AI development right from the start. There should not need to be a contradiction between developing a functioning language model in Swedish and ensuring that our copyright holders receive the correct compensation.

If it cannot be resolved before then, I hope that it can be adjusted in the autumn budget so that one does not start without having resolved these important issues. The member agrees that it would be great!

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Peter Ollén (M)

Madam Speaker! This is very interesting. Stim has software that can go in and analyze a song and hear that a drum beat or a chorus that lies there in the background is taken from a certain song. One can, therefore, dissect a song so that one knows down to parts of cents how the compensation should be paid when that song is played.

Their assessment is that, purely technically, one should be able to do something with similar precision even when it comes to images and text for Swedish AI use. In that case, one does not get this somewhat coarse distribution that Bonus has, where one allocates a certain amount to the collective of authors, a certain amount to others, and so on.

If the vision is that what KB is doing now can be licensed out to commercial actors within the AI field so that Swedes can completely legally be able to search from different parts of Swedish material, it thus looks to be technically possible. I do not dare to say any figures, but when this has been solved and volume has been increased in the AI usage, I believe we are talking about substantially more than the 30–40 million that it is in Norway. It will then also become possible for people to customize and get a newspaper with what is relevant for just them. We must absolutely have high ambitions within this.

(Applause)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Anna-Lena Hedberg (SD)

Madam Speaker! Swedish sports and outdoor life is something deeply Swedish. We probably all have our own memory of just this – a fishing trip with mom and dad or grandparents, a hike in the Swedish mountains, the ski holiday during the sports and Easter break, or a trip into the mushroom forest.

I remember how I rode in the cross-country ski track with dad running in the powder snow beside me, cheering to encourage me to keep going even though I was absolutely last in the ski race – the same wonderful dad who was there and cheered just as much during my short football career where my only goals consisted of two own goals. The same parents are now spending their lives as retirees attending their grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's activities and cheering them on just as lovingly, though I must admit that they are bigger talents than I was.

It is leaders and parents like mine that we must safeguard, for it is they who make us and our children feel a sense of belonging and that we are part of something important. Being able to hike, fish, ski, and take part in nature is tradition, culture, and well-being all in one. It is a part of our national identity, our cultural heritage.

Madam Speaker! Sports and outdoor life are two of the most unifying forces in our country. They build community, strengthen public health, and provide children and young people with positive environments in which to grow.

Therefore, it is pleasing that through the Tidö cooperation we have a budget that is both responsible and powerful for precisely these areas. The Sweden Democrats have long emphasized the importance of safety, clear priorities, and an efficient use of taxpayers' money. We continue to strengthen the support for sports and outdoor life in a way that we see will provide real benefit.

Madam Speaker! The sports movement is one of the most important protective factors we have against mental ill-health, crime, and social exclusion. When children and young people are given a meaningful leisure time, when they join a team and meet adult role models, the foundation is laid for safer societies. Therefore, it is right and important that the Tidö budget prioritizes investments in the areas where the needs are greatest.

By targeting the support more accurately, we ensure that it goes to activities that truly make a difference – to children's and youth sports, to associations that work to create safe and drug-free environments, to sports leaders who are there every evening, often entirely voluntarily, and hold together what would otherwise risk falling apart.

The Sweden Democrats stand up for sports as a positive force, and therefore the money shall go to sports specifically and not to side projects or politicization. We want every tax krona to be cherished and used in a way that benefits the people. We want more utility, less waste, and higher demands for transparency.

Madam Speaker! That is why it is pleasing that the government and the Tidö parties continue to safeguard and develop the outdoor organizations, strengthen leadership and natural environments, and ensure that more people can take part in our shared nature. For us Sverigedemokrater, this is not just a matter of recreation but also of public health, of rootedness, and of preserving the values that have made Sweden what it is. When more people get the opportunity to go out into nature, both pride and cohesion in the country grow.

Madam Speaker! It should be easy to practice sports and easy to spend time in nature. There must be associations that function, leaders who have the energy, and facilities that can be used. More children must be given the opportunity to see their mother or father running in the powder snow around the floodlit track and devotedly cheering on little you who are struggling right then and there.

With this budget, we strengthen the structures that work and that are supported by civil society's commitment. The Sweden Democrats are proud to have been a driving force in creating this more responsible, more accurate, and more sustainable direction. We stand behind this budget because it strengthens safety, public health, and cohesion in Sweden.

I vote in favor of the government's proposal within expenditure area 17.

(Applause)

In this speech, Runar Filper (SD) agreed.

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)

Azadeh Rojhan (S)

Madam Speaker! It rarely begins with dramatic headlines. It begins with silence, with something disappearing without anyone being able to quite put their finger on what. It can be a study circle that is shut down, a rehearsal room that disappears, that a club grant is withdrawn, or that a critical voice is no longer invited to the conversation. We rarely see when it happens, but suddenly it is felt, and by then it has already gone too far.

In the world, we see how 40 years of democratic progress have been rolled back. According to the V-Dem Institute, democracy in 2023 was down to 1985 levels – not because of dramatic coup attempts but through a slow, deliberate weakening. It is not just happening far away, it is happening here and now in our Sweden.

The policy that the SD-led government is pursuing today weakens vital parts of what supports our democracy: popular education, culture, civil society and public service – everything that builds trust and keeps society together.

Trust is not something we get for free. It is built in the encounter between people, in conversation, in knowledge, in free speech, in popular education, on the cultural scene, and in civic life. When these spaces and conversations are weakened, our ability to hold together and to dare to trust one another is also weakened. When these fundamental building blocks are questioned and eroded, trust crumbles. When trust is weakened, our democratic readiness is also weakened.

Madam Speaker! We are now entering an election year. An election year sets the tone for the social climate for several years ahead. At the same time, we see how young people's trust in democracy has decreased. We saw a lower voter turnout in 2022. We see how mistrust continues to grow and fester in our society, and it is in the wake of mistrust that extremism grows. Just a few days ago, Nazis marched openly in Stockholm. Masked men chanted hate messages in our city center. Recently, four Nazis were sentenced for several violent assaults where the victims were chosen randomly based on skin color.

We must understand that none of this happens in a vacuum. When the democratic conversation is weakened, when the distance between people grows, when politicians choose to pit people against each other, then extremist forces gain more space. Trust is damaged, and democracy is nibbled at the edges.

Madam Speaker! When we talk about preparedness, we often talk about the military – weapons, defense, and equipment. But a nation's true strength in a crisis is equally about cohesion, trust, and people's faith in our common institutions. Democratic preparedness is that people trust one another and society's ability to handle the difficult, and that everyone is included. It is resilience built on trust.

Russia's war in Ukraine, the pandemic, the climate crisis – all of this shows that crises cannot only be met with hard resources. They require something softer but at least equally crucial: a society that holds together and that is built on trust. If we weaken democracy, we also weaken our preparedness. Therefore, we must safeguard that which protects it: free media, strong popular movements, independent culture, and an open public education.

Trust is not just a means for democracy but the very foundation for us to be able to make wise decisions together. We members here in the chamber do not build democracy. At best, we can maintain it. Democracy is built outside of this building.

Earlier today, representatives from the cultural sector, the arts, the popular movements, and folk education sat here in the gallery. It is they who carry our democracy forward every day. I want to give them my promise that we Social Democrats will join the fight together with them.

(Applause)

The deliberation was hereby concluded.

(A decision was to be taken on 3 December.)

The speech at riksdagen.se, in Swedish (opens in a new tab)