Swedish legal databases allow deletion of criminal records

Swedish legal databases, including Mr Koll, Lexbase, and Krimfup, are implementing new policies that allow individuals to request the complete deletion of their personal data and criminal records from their platforms. Simon Krantz, the responsible publisher for Mr Koll, stated that anyone can now request the removal of their information, including names, addresses, and even convictions for serious crimes.

This shift follows investigations by SVT, which revealed that these private databases had previously been secretly removing records of serious offenses—such as child sexual abuse and violence against women—to avoid lawsuits and damages from convicted individuals. In some instances, companies reportedly paid legal costs or settlements to have lawsuits withdrawn after complying with deletion requests.

Critics argue that these changes undermine the principle of public access to information and democratic transparency. They note that while court judgments remain formally public, making them harder to find via these digital services complicates the work of journalists and limits the ability of citizens to monitor potential risks in their communities.