'If someone poisons a public water source, they will be caught and sent to prison. But if someone poisons the network with information - and in fact influences the election result through campaign lies - it is very difficult to prove and stop it. That is why I believe that systemic intervention is needed. And since we have regulations regarding the dissemination of paedophile content or content promoting Nazi ideology - why don't we take more decisive steps to combat political disinformation?', Professor Dariusz Jemielniak from the Leon Kozminski University, Vice-president of the Polish Academy of Sciences, asks in an interview with PAP.

His team's research carried out as part of the Maestro grant awarded by the Polish National Science Centre shows that the amount of political disinformation - but also social and medical disinformation - is systematically increasing.

'This is the world we have to live in. There is more and more information noise, information garbage, and deliberate disinformation', Jemielniak adds.

Disinformation activities are particularly intensive during the election campaign. In the researcher's opinion, this is a modern marketing 'arms race'. 'In the case of some candidates, a negative campaign does not harm their image, but will harm to their opponents', he says.

He added that he is constantly monitoring the situation in Poland in this context. According to the researcher, information warfare is permanent in our country, it is not a temporary phenomenon during the election period.

The researcher also points out that although the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Ministry of National Defence are among the institutions that take certain actions to combat disinformation, in his opinion these measures are insufficient.

'We have to realize that at some point we will have to make difficult decisions, for example if we are dealing with parties that have a lot of support but are co-financed by a totalitarian regime and are clearly part of a disinformation campaign', he believes.

Jemielniak adds that especially populist, anti-immigration, anti-EU or anti-vaccination groups have strong support for disinformation campaigns, which translates into an increase in support for populist movements and - ultimately - disruption of the democratic system.

In this context, he mentions the AfD party (Alternative for Germany) and the ongoing discussion on its delegalisation. 'Despite the fact that it is already a very serious political force and it may be too late to make such a move', he points out.

The researcher also refers to the Polish political scene. 'Currently, among the major presidential candidates and among the parties with serious support, there is a party that clearly has strong anti-Ukrainian and anti-EU sentiments, and a very clear anti-vaccination and anti-science position. This is very concerning', he emphasises. (PAP)

PAP - Science in Poland

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