On 20 May, Sweden’s Parliament will vote on Prop. 2024/25:124, a proposal to criminalise the purchase of digital sex work services such as camming, custom erotic content, and paid online intimacy.
The bill would expand the current criminalisation of the purchase of sexual services to acts performed entirely online - turning consensual digital services into a punishable offense. The move has raised alarm from rights advocates, legal scholars, and digital policy experts across Europe.
“Our income will decrease so much that we’ll be forced to offer services and fulfil requests we would otherwise never agree to. This law will push us into dangerous situations and take away our safest option.” - Emma Larsson, Adult Content Creator, Sweden
The bill follows a trend of punitive legislation, echoing the harm caused by FOSTA-SESTA in the United States. Rights groups warn that if passed, this law would set a dangerous precedent across Europe.
Concerns are mounting about how this law would be enforced, particularly the risk of police having unchecked access to people’s devices. Authorities could be empowered to search phones, computers, and online accounts, exposing private data and communications. This raises serious issues around digital surveillance and privacy, especially for vulnerable groups like sex workers already facing discrimination and criminalisation.
“This law is NOT about protecting people. It's about expanding state control, criminalising digital autonomy, and pushing sex workers and other marginalised groups into deeper precarity.” - Yigit Aydinalp, Digital Rights Expert
The proposed law threatens not only the safetyand autonomy of sex workers but also sets a dangerous precedent for digital rights across the EU. If passed, it would undermine privacy, freedom of expression, and data protection, while opening the door to widespread surveillance. In less than 24 hours, the pushback campaign collected over 500 signatures, demonstrating the widespread outrage and urgency of this issue.
For media inquiries please contact:
Kira Stellar,
Chair of the Board of Directors
Red Umbrella Sweden
[email protected]
Wszebor Sienkiewicz
Communications Officer
European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance
[email protected]
Download the press release as PDF