Description: The Polish NASK Disinformation Analysis Center published indications that the social media platform Facebook might be used to launch political campaigns that unilaterally supported liberal candidate Rafal Trzaskowski in the upcoming presidential elections on Sunday. Trzaskowski faces Karol Nawrocki, senior member in Poland’s Civil Platform party and far – right candidate Slawomir Mentzen on Sunday 18 May. NASK has stated that they informed the Polish Internal Security Agency regarding the discrepancies and investigations were already underway to determine the origin of the financing for the political campaigns and advertisements launched on Facebook. Conflicting reports from representatives from META, Facebook’s parent company inflated the situation. Initial statements indicated that Facebook has been diligently addressing political advertisements and campaigns, and every organization was subjected to a detailed process of verification. Other reports stated that despite the verification there were publishing loopholes that enabled organizations to circumvent the verifications. Polish Digital Affairs Minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that in the past there were massive disinformation campaigns launched from Russia in order to disable Poland from supporting Ukraine in the war.
Impact: The weaponization of social media platforms continues to impact significant socio – economic processes across several European countries, such as the presidential elections in Poland. Poland’s presidential elections were largely expected to be targeted by disinformation campaigns since the country represents EU’s largest stronghold on the eastern flank both militarily and politically, as well as being the country that facilitates and carves out larges proportions of military and logistical assistance to Ukraine in their war against Russia. Polish authorities and counterintelligence agencies would be overwhelmed in securing the absence of election meddling and disinformation interference as they face crucial presidential elections which could potentially dictate the country’s political positioning in times of crisis and war on the European continent.