Researchers led by Professor Arkadiusz Żukowski, director of the UWM Institute of Political Science, have just completed the implementation of an international research project 'Education of society in the field of disinformation: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia', financed as part of the competition of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland 'Public Diplomacy 2024'.

Professor Arkadiusz Żukowski emphasises in an interview with PAP - Science in Poland that disinformation is a phenomenon characteristic of the modern world, in which information spreads very quickly and on a global scale.

'The public perception of various events largely depends on how these events are presented in the mass media, on the Internet and social media', he says. He adds that disinformation, which consists in distorting information, adding half- and quarter-truths to it, can have a similar effect.

Krzysztof Żęgota, PhD, a professor at UWM, adds that 'disinformation is most often defined as misleading content disseminated in order to provide political and economic benefits that may harm the public and thus pose a threat to democratic systems'.

According to political scientists from UWM, disinformation occurs wherever information is spread. 'It is, in a way, a reflection of information', they point out.

In their opinion, however, disinformation most often spreads online, including social media, where it is much more difficult to implement various types of control mechanisms or information verification tools. 'Disinformation is increasingly supported by artificial intelligence', they add.

Young people targeted by disinformation

Political scientists point out that students are particularly vulnerable to disinformation and fake news, because the vast majority of young people get their current information and knowledge about the world from the Internet and social media, where it is more difficult to verify information. That is why the UWM project was aimed especially at young people.

'Most young people do not use traditional electronic media and printed press. Moreover, young people do not yet have well developed tools and mechanisms that would allow them to look at information more critically. All this means that young people are the target of disinformation activities and pose a challenge for initiatives and projects related to combating disinformation', says Krzysztof Żęgota, PhD, a professor at UWM.

The aim of the project was to raise the level of knowledge about disinformation among members of this group, and develop their ability to analyse modern media and critically think about the importance of information in the modern world, including increasing social awareness of disinformation.

The students and pupils surveyed by UWM researchers recognise the existence of the problem of disinformation and fake news. They also indicate that this is a significant challenge in the modern, globalised world. 'At the same time, they optimistically declare that they are able to use the tools to detect and combat disinformation', emphasise political scientists from UWM.

The research conducted as part of the project shows that most young people do not use traditional media. Many of them do not have a television set and do not watch television. As the researchers reported, 'the main source of obtaining information is therefore the one that is most difficult to control: the Internet and, above all, social media'. 95% of respondents declared that the Internet was their main source of information.

It turns out that young people are very aware of disinformation, its sources and ways of manipulating public opinion. 'Young people know the main techniques of creating disinformation and ways of manipulating information. This is a good basis for educating young people - they do not need to be convinced of the significance of the disinformation phenomenon, but only provided with knowledge on how to counteract it', Żęgota emphasises.

Baltic countries more vulnerable to Russian propaganda than Poland

Poland is indirectly affected by Russian military aggression against Ukraine, which is why - as the experts note - 'the most dangerous propaganda seems to be the Russian one concerning the war in Ukraine, its causes and course, as well as the broader context of Russia's rivalry with the West'.

They also point out that, on the other hand - unlike the Baltic states, for example - we do not have a significant Russian-speaking minority and, consequently, well developed Russian-language media, which makes it somewhat more difficult for Russian propagandists to influence the Polish infosphere. Poland is not the main recipient of this narrative.

'In Poland, different historical and political experiences, a different national structure, and the current language barrier mean that Russian state media cannot influence the Polish public so easily', the researchers explain.

They emphasise that 'an important result of the project was the development of recommendations concerning education in the field of disinformation for the educational systems of partner countries'. These will be included in an English-language publication Public Diplomacy - Education of the society on disinformation: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (editor: Arkadiusz Żukowski).

A scientific conference and an International Youth Round Table were held as part of the project.

Political scientists from UWM emphasise that the long-term result of the project is the increase in international cooperation in the fight against disinformation and shaping and manifestations of public diplomacy.

In the project, UWM collaborated with academic centres from the Baltic states: Klaipėda University and Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania), the University of Latvia in Riga (Latvia) and the University of Tartu (Estonia). As the scientists report, 'the collaboration consisted of the exchange of information on the infosphere, disinformation and fake news', as well as a review of the main publications in this area.

Scientific research on the social perception of disinformation, as well as educational and organizational activities will be continued.

PAP - Science in Poland

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