Poland Goes to War on Disinformation. And Is Pouring Record-Breaking Money Into It
Introduction: When Information Chaos Becomes the Daily Norm
Browsing the internet on a daily basis increasingly resembles making one's way through a dense fog of conflicting messages, false alarms, and deliberately manipulated content. In this informational chaos, where distinguishing truth from lies is becoming a challenge for each of us, states are faced with the necessity of taking decisive action. The Polish government, through the voice of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski, announces an unprecedented offensive. In 2026, Poland is set to roll out its heaviest artillery against disinformation. What exactly lies behind this announcement of "war," and what tools will be used in this fight?
1. A Record Budget, or the State Brings Out the Big Guns
Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski's declaration that 2026 will be "record-breaking in terms of spending on countering disinformation" is much more than just financial information. It is a strategic signal that the fight for the purity of the infosphere is becoming one of the state's absolute priorities. The government plans to allocate "much more funds" for this purpose than in the current year, which attests to the scale of the upcoming actions.
According to the minister's announcement, the strategy will be based on two main pillars:
- A massive social campaign aimed at educating citizens and raising awareness about the threats posed by disinformation.
- The activities of inter-ministerial teams tasked with developing consistent, national frameworks for systemic countermeasures against false narratives.
This signifies a substantial change in approach. This shift from reactive "digital firefighting" to proactive "social inoculation" is an expression of the understanding that technical safeguards alone are insufficient; the human factor has become the main battlefield of information warfare. Moreover, these plans extend beyond the Ministry of Digital Affairs—as the minister noted, a dedicated unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also being expanded. This shows that Poland is approaching the problem comprehensively, combining domestic, inter-ministerial, and diplomatic actions. A large part of these plans will be implemented by an institution that itself recently came under international criticism.
2. NASK: The Shield That Had to Take Blows Itself
The NASK National Research Institute (Research and Academic Computer Network) is a key unit in the Polish system for fighting disinformation and online threats. Its role is fundamental, but—as it turned out—not without controversy, making its position particularly interesting in the context of upcoming investments.
On one hand, the OSCE report concerning NASK's activities during the last elections pointed to "concern" among observers. The institution was accused at the time that its communication with the public was "delayed, inconsistent, and opaque." This was a serious allegation, undermining the transparency of a key agency's actions during a heated political period.
On the other hand, Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski stands firmly in defense of the institute. In his assessment, NASK "has excellent competencies" and is doing "excellent work." He described the activities conducted under the so-called election umbrella—an initiative aimed at protecting democratic processes from cyber threats and disinformation—as "well-managed," and their results as "major successes." The government's unwavering defense of NASK, despite sharp criticism from the OSCE, suggests a political imperative of power projection and control over key cyber institutions, where international criticism is viewed as secondary to national strategic continuity. The government even claims that NASK's experiences, even the criticized ones, have become a valuable lesson for other states. As a result, the institution awaits reinforcement—further investments are planned in the development of analytical teams and those dealing with artificial intelligence.
However, the fight against disinformation, while crucial, is just one element of a much broader digital revolution planned by the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
3. More Than Fake News: Poland's Digital Reconstruction
Focusing solely on disinformation would be a mistake. The Ministry of Digital Affairs' plans for 2026 are actually a comprehensive strategy for state modernization, in which the fight for truth is inextricably linked to building modern public services and technological development. The ministry's ambitions are far-reaching and cover areas key to the country's future.
Here are the ministry's most important priorities for 2026, listed by Krzysztofa Gawkowski:
- Citizen Services:
- Full integration of the mObywatel application with state systems.
- Artificial Intelligence:
- Preparation of a bill on artificial intelligence systems.
- Launching so-called regulatory sandboxes for AI.
- Implementation of AI solutions in all key public services.
- Development of Polish language models and the construction of "artificial intelligence factories."
- Cybersecurity:
- Further strengthening of resilience in cyberspace.
- Managing the Act on the National Cybersecurity System.
- Strategy and Infrastructure:
- Building a Polish semiconductor ecosystem.
- Finalization of the new digitalization strategy for Poland until 2035.
This is not merely a list of technological projects; it is an outline of a strategy for digital sovereignty. By developing its own AI models and semiconductor ecosystem, Poland aims to reduce dependency on foreign tech giants, which constitutes a key geopolitical move in the era of digital fragmentation. The government views digitalization and resilience to disinformation as two sides of the same coin: building a modern, resilient state. However, even such ambitious plans face real obstacles.
Summary: A Race Against Time and Lies
Everything indicates that in 2026, Poland is entering a decisive phase of its digital transformation. At stake are record financial resources and the political will to win the fight for truth in an increasingly complex infosphere. The plans are ambitious, and the strategy appears comprehensive, combining social education with the construction of technologically advanced state foundations.
However, as Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski himself admitted, the pace of legislative work remains a challenge, pointing as an example to delays in implementing the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). This leads to a key question, especially in light of the minister's suggestion that this process is sometimes slowed down by political factors, "including from the President." Will ambitious strategies and huge budgets be enough to win the digital race, given that the pace of legislation and political realities can be unpredictable?
** Aleksander **
FAQ
What specifically does NASK do in fighting disinformation?
NASK (Research and Academic Computer Network) is a state research institute that serves as a competence center for cybersecurity and countering disinformation. The institution monitors the internet for false narratives, conducts information threat analyses, and coordinates activities under the so-called election umbrella—an initiative protecting the democratic process from cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
How much money exactly will be allocated to fight disinformation in 2026?
Deputy Prime Minister Gawkowski did not provide a specific amount, stating only that it will be "much more funds" than in the current year and that 2026 will be "record-breaking in terms of spending on countering disinformation." Detailed amounts will be known after the state budget for 2026 is adopted.
Will the social campaign against disinformation include education in schools?
The minister did not provide details regarding specific elements of the planned "massive social campaign," including whether it will encompass an educational program in schools. However, it is known that the campaign is intended to be far-reaching and will focus on raising citizens' awareness of the threats posed by disinformation and building competencies for critical evaluation of information.
Sources:
About the Author
Dyrektor ds. Technologii w SecurHub.pl
Doktorant z zakresu neuronauki poznawczej. Psycholog i ekspert IT specjalizujący się w cyberbezpieczeństwie.
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