Poland Faces Coordinated Disinformation Campaign Ahead of Presidential Election
Warsaw, Poland – A sophisticated and multi-pronged disinformation campaign targeting the upcoming Polish presidential election has been uncovered by the Polish national cybersecurity agency NASK (Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Komputerowa). The campaign, leveraging social media, SMS messaging, and potentially even paid online advertising, appears aimed at manipulating public opinion, sowing discord, and undermining confidence in the democratic process. NASK, operating under the Election Umbrella (Parasol Wyborczy) initiative, has identified hundreds of fake accounts on the X platform (formerly Twitter) disseminating pro-Russian narratives and amplifying divisive social and political issues. This revelation comes amidst heightened concerns about foreign interference in elections worldwide, adding a layer of complexity to an already tense political climate.
NASK’s investigation has exposed a network of nearly 400 accounts linked to Russia’s Social Design Agency (Agencja Projektów Społecznych), an entity known for its involvement in information warfare. These accounts have been spreading AI-generated visuals and emotionally charged messages designed to exploit existing social anxieties around migration, foreign policy, public safety, and the economy. Furthermore, some of these posts directly target a specific presidential candidate, suggesting a deliberate attempt to influence the election outcome. The campaign also extends to the messaging app Telegram, where similar visual content has been observed on accounts previously associated with Russian disinformation operations. This cross-platform dissemination highlights the coordinated and sophisticated nature of the campaign.
The disinformation campaign isn’t limited to social media platforms. A coordinated SMS campaign has also been detected, flooding Polish citizens with messages mocking a particular candidate and referencing sensitive topics such as funeral benefits. Sent from numerous different phone numbers, these messages appear designed to sow distrust in democratic institutions and generate confusion among voters. The use of SMS messages underscores the perpetrators’ commitment to reaching a wider audience, including those who may not be active on social media. This multi-channel approach makes the campaign particularly insidious and challenging to counter.
NASK’s Disinformation Analysis Centre has been inundated with reports of suspicious online activity, processing over 10,000 reports this year alone concerning accounts operating in Polish and English. Some of these reports flagged false warnings regarding planned terrorist attacks on election day, May 18th, a tactic designed to create fear and potentially disrupt the electoral process. The sheer volume of disinformation being circulated suggests a deliberate strategy to overwhelm the capacity of oversight bodies and analytical resources. This flood of misleading information makes it difficult to discern credible information from fabricated content, further contributing to public confusion and anxiety.
A significant component of this disinformation campaign revolves around eroding Polish support for Ukraine. NASK has observed efforts to discredit Ukrainian leadership, undermine public support for Western aid to Kyiv, and fuel social tensions across Europe and the United States. This campaign, active since at least December 2023, aligns with broader Russian strategic objectives to weaken Western resolve in supporting Ukraine. By exploiting the sensitive issue of the ongoing conflict, the disinformation campaign aims to fracture alliances and erode public support for a crucial geopolitical partner.
Adding another dimension to this complex situation, NASK flagged potentially foreign-funded political advertisements on Facebook earlier this week. The case was referred to Poland’s internal security agency, ABW, leading to the subsequent blocking of the ads. However, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, has stated that their own investigation found no definitive proof of foreign interference. This discrepancy highlights the challenges in definitively attributing such campaigns and the ongoing debate surrounding the regulation and transparency of online political advertising. NASK continues its vigilant monitoring of the online space, collaborating with public institutions, security agencies, and international partners to combat this disinformation campaign and protect the integrity of the electoral process. Citizens are urged to utilize the bezpiecznewybory.pl platform to report any suspicious online activity they encounter. This collaborative effort between government agencies and the public is crucial in identifying and mitigating the impact of disinformation campaigns.
