In January 1999, the Penal Code was amendaded to extend criminal liability for association with child pornography. As a result, virtually all forms of association with child pornography images, including simple possession, now constitute a criminal offense. The legislation applies to all types of media and therefore also to the electronic environment.

Under Swedish Law , anyone who portrays a child in a pornographic picture; disseminates, transfers, grants use, exhibits or in any other way makes such a picture of a child available to another person: acquires or offers such a picture; brings about contact between a buyer and a seller of such picture or takes any other similar step to facilitate dealing in such pictures; or possesses such a picture, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximun of two years or, if the crime is petty, to a fine or imprisonment, for up to six months. Offenders are liable to a minumum of six months and a maximum of six years imprisonment if the act was committed in the course of business or otherwise for profit, was part of a criminal activity that was systematically practiced or practiced on a large scale, or concerned a particularly large number of pictures or pictures in which children are exposed to especially ruthless treatment. Negligent acts of dissemination are also punishable if they occur in the course of commercial operations or if they otherwise are commited for profit.

In April 2005, the Penal Code was amended to include a new offence termed 'exploitation of a child for sexual posing'. The Code now makes it an offense for anyone to promote or exploit the performance or participation in sexual posing by a child under the age of 15, or between the age of 15 and 18, in return for compensation, if the posing is, by its nature, likely to damage the child's health or development. The 'exploitation of a child for sexual posing' is liable to a fine or imprisonment for up to two years. This crime refers to sexual posing that occurs in sex clubs, private circles, or for the production of pornographic pictures. Sexual posing means to participate in or perform a sexual act or to openly expose the body to one or more people or in front of a camera. In cases of gross exploitation, the punishment is imprisonment for six months to six years.