Disinformation in Poland has become a profitable industry, fuelled by digital models and weak oversight. Media and NGOs exploit public fears, creating an ecosystem where disinformation thrives and generates revenue, complicating regulation.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Disinformation in Poland has transformed ideology into a profitable industry. Exploiting regulatory gaps and digital platforms, actors thrive on sensationalism around health, immigration and EU policies, raising concerns about Poland’s digital future.

The following policy brief will show why it is necessary to:

• Strengthen Regulatory Oversight: The Polish government should tighten regulations by imposing stricter penalties for misleading ads, increasing media transparency and enforcing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance on digital platforms.
• Increase Financial Transparency: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and decentralised platforms that profit from disinformation should face more rigorous financial audits. This will prevent the misuse of crowdfunding platforms and cryptocurrency transactions to fund disinformation.
• Label Disinformation Sources: A national strategy to label disinformation sources is crucial to help citizens spot unreliable content and curb false narratives.
• Leverage AI and Data Analytics: Utilise AI-driven content moderation tools and data analytics to track the spread of disinformation across platforms, enabling a faster response to false narratives and identifying threats.
• Engage in cross-sector partnerships among government, tech and civil society to understand economic drivers