Disinformation and Fake News. Experts Discuss Challenges for Journalists

Photo: PAP/S. Leszczyński

Widespread digitalization brings risks - among them, the ease with which lies and manipulations, often maintaining a semblance of credibility, can reach large audiences.

- Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the number of unverified reports reaching citizens has significantly increased. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has further amplified this phenomenon, noted Łukasz Świerżewski, a board member of PAP, during a discussion at Impact’22 focused on methods to effectively verify and eliminate fake news.

According to Świerżewski, news agencies like the Polish Press Agency (PAP) are on the front lines of combating public misinformation. Journalists must apply an "anti-disinformation filter" to all communications, especially those from external sources.


One example of efforts to reduce the spread of fake news is the PAP-operated platform fakehunter.pap.pl, where internet users can report potentially false information. Over the past two years, PAP staff have verified more than 2,000 reports.

- The increasing number of submissions indicates that society is becoming more aware of fake news and the dangers of allowing it to thrive in media and online spaces, Świerżewski said. - However, this does not absolve us from the responsibility of continually educating citizens on the need to screen and verify the information they receive, as those seeking to mislead us are constantly improving their manipulation techniques.

Verification? Few Attempt It

Recent studies show that while over 80% of Poles understand the concept of disinformation and have encountered it, only 5% attempt to verify false information - experts highlighted during the "Disinformation" panel at the European Economic Congress in Katowice.

- Researchers point out that, much like gossip in everyday life, false information spreads better. It`s more engaging and emotional, making it highly shareable, said Dr. Agnieszka Legucka, a lecturer at the Vistula University of Finance and Business and analyst on Russia at the Polish Institute of International Affairs.


- Disinformation refers to any message intended not to inform the recipient truthfully but to manipulate by providing false information for a specific purpose, such as political or ideological, explained Dr. Małgorzata Molęda-Zdziech, head of the Department of Political Studies at the Warsaw School of Economics and expert in the Team Europe Direct Poland network. - The sender does this in a way that is not consciously recognized by the recipient.

- The best way to avoid falling for disinformation is to maintain a healthy distance. Take a deep breath and verify what you’ve heard from reliable sources, emphasized Dr. Agnieszka Legucka. According to her, credible sources include fact-checking portals that validate information. - A majority of Poles would like to see such portals funded and recognize the need for their existence.

Anti-Vaccination Accounts Spread Disinformation About Ukraine

- We try to react as quickly as possible by identifying the source of the information. We monitor the Polish information space, identify the origins, and track hundreds of accounts producing this disinformation. These accounts are surrounded by networks of people who believe in or find the content interesting and share it further, often unknowingly spreading fake news, explained Robert Król, Deputy Director of NASK for New Technologies for Public Policy. He added that his institute, along with fact-checking portals, continuously verifies online content.


- The war in Ukraine and the accompanying wave of refugees to Poland have recently dominated fake news themes online. "Some joke that Putin killed the pandemic. Anti-vaccination accounts have pivoted to spreading false information about Ukrainian refugees," noted Agnieszka Legucka.

She added that these narratives often originate from Russian disinformation and aim to foster anti-Ukrainian sentiment, fear, and anxiety in Polish society. For example, they claim refugees will be treated better in schools, hospitals, and other institutions than Poles.

- Disinformation targeting Poland is conducted on a large scale and cannot be underestimated. It is subtle and tailored to Polish audiences, as straightforward pro-Russian messages would not be effective in Poland. Its dissemination is highly complex, networked, and uses not only direct Russian sources but also anti-vaccination and far-right communities, concluded Łukasz Lipiński, editor-in-chief of Polityka.pl.