In the last decade, one can notice the huge interest of researchers in the field of cyberpolicy, which is primarily due to the widespread use of the Internet in the public space. This fact is also an impulse for conducting interdisciplinary research that combines knowledge from social sciences on the one hand, and uses content from technical sciences on the other. Compared to the form of conducting election campaigns in the 20th century in the U.S., during the 2016 election campaign there were significant changes in the conduct of political struggle. These changes consist above all in the use of cybernetic tools, which to a large extent, however difficult to determine, shaped electoral behavior. The contemporary political competition is more and more dependent on technology, which becomes the main element of the professionalization of election campaigns. Investigating the impact of cyberspace on electoral results is a big challenge, considering the fact that the area of cybertechnology is extremely complex. Cyberspace has now become a field for many political phenomena that are constantly evolving and in most cases their importance is immense for the functioning of the political system. The article is intended to deal with selected phenomena related to cybertechnology that were compared with other events from the U.S. election campaign in 2016. The article aims to investigate selected events resulting from the use of cybertechnology, which had an impact on electoral behavior.

This article describes the issue of misinformation during the SARS CoV-2 pandemic, which WHO called ‘infodemic’. The outbreak of the pandemic has changed the constellation of the information environment, where there is a noticeable increase in fake news, conspiracy theories and the hate speech they generate. The modified architecture of digital space causes the formation of new instruments, influence factors, phenomena – previously recognized, but never before so intense. The article focuses on fake news that appeared in connection with the ongoing pandemic and which is present in Polish public discourse. The adopted perspective allowed to look at the phenomenon of false information through the prism of the theory of information laundering.

In the current dynamic world the strategic communications (STRATCOM) mean a comprehensive process which is aimed at developing, promoting, and distributing the required narratives and messages of any organization in order to form and ensure its positive image, inform counterparts (adversaries) and target audiences of the organization’s intents and positions, main tasks and achievements. While implementing the STRATCOM, it is very important to remember about their main rules and principles which are unique for both security and defence sector and business. Unfortunately, in the current “hybrid” measurement sometimes we should realize the effectiveness of the SC activities, thus it is necessary to define the measurements of effectiveness and performance for effective evaluation of activities. Ukraine has been repelling the aggression in the Eastern Ukraine since 2014 within massive hybrid warfare against it. This fact has caused the initiating a range of reform and innovative processes in Ukraine. Since then, we have known about the STRATCOM in Ukraine. In (Historical retrospective analysis of formation and development of strategic communications in security and defence sector of Ukraine) we have analyzed the process of development of the SC in security and defence sector. This process was speeded and pressed up by the warfare. Moreover, it was implemented in line with existing NATO principles and standards. Even the definition and concept of the STRATCOM were taken from the NATO documents. However, the reality reveals the necessity to revise the term definition and consider the implementation of business processes related to communications in security and defence sector. Some nations have already passed through this transformation and changed the approach to their SC. Even NATO Military Policy on Strategic Communications MC 0628 was successfully used until 2014. It is the STRATCOM baseline documents and it needed to be revised (NATO and Strategic Communications. The story so far. The Three Swords Magazine 33/2018. pp. 65–73). In the article the authors make some proposals how to improve the STRATCOM definition and improve the whole process of their realization.

W artykule zaprezentowano formułę rosyjskiego oddziaływania propagandowego jakiemu państwo rosyjskie poddaje obywateli Białorusi. Wskazano cele i grupy docelowe tego oddziaływania, dokonano oceny ich efektywności oraz przedstawiono możliwe formy reakcji, mającej na celu przygotowanie Białorusinów do umiejętnego dostrzegania działań mających na celu dezinformację, manipulację i kształtowanie opinii publicznej zgodnie z rosyjskimi celami politycznymi.

Zarówno dezinformacja, jak i propaganda nie są działaniami nowymi, ale towarzyszą społeczeństwom praktycznie od samego ich powstania. Co więcej, ich użyteczność w działaniach państw potwierdzają nie tylko liczne przykłady historyczne, ale również te, których jesteśmy obecnie świadkami i są ściśle związane z rozprzestrzenianiem się pandemii COVID-19. Artykuł jest próbą zdefi niowania i opisania nie tylko rosyjskiego ekosystemu dezinformacji i propagandy w dobie pandemii, ale również próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie, w jaki sposób różne fi lary tego ekosystemu odgrywają różne role, wzajemnie się zasilają oraz wzmacniają.

Fake news był obecny w życiu człowieka już od czasów starożytnych. Jednakże rozwój technologii, globalizacja doprowadził do zwiększenia zasięgu jego rozprzestrzeniania. Masowość mediów doprowadziła do przeinaczeń, nadinterpretacji, szerzenia nieprawidłowości na określony temat. W ten sposób zaczęła się szerzyć dezinformacja przeprowadzana różnymi metodami. Określana jest ogólnie jako fake news. Celem artykułu jest ukazanie jak ważną rolę w współczesnym świecie pełni fake news oraz jak jest wykorzystywany w celach manipulacji. Przeinaczona informacja może wywołać niepokój w jednostce bądź grupie, a tym samym zdestabilizować bezpieczeństwo. Masowy dostęp do mediów społecznościowych i Internetu prowadzi do zwiększonej ilości różnych, błędnych, celowo zmanipulowanych informacji, co może wpływać negatywnie na nasze postrzeganie rzeczywistości, a w konsekwencji na nasze bezpieczeństwo.

The scale of disinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has been called infodemic. It involved disseminating various messages and theories that had a significant negative impact on limiting the spread of the disease but also exacerbated existing social antagonisms and emboldened and radicalised fringe groups. Infodemic, to a large extent manifested in social media, also fostered the formalisation of denialist circles, who transferred their sometimes very aggressive sentiments from the web to the real world. Negation and contestation of the pandemic were partly born spontaneously but were also created as part of postmodern hybrid activities. Consequently, narratives of infodemic led to difficulties in functioning health services, but above all, to an increase in morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19. The consequences of the infodemic would also include various economic effects, such as increased medical expenses for unvaccinated people or turbulence in the labour market.

The article aims to identify social impact activities in the context of information operations conducted by Ukraine during the 2022 war. An analysis of the creation and spread of information threats as a result of Russia’s ongoing conflict is driven by the increasing impact of communication on global security. The content of the study highlights the impact of trends in the creation of information threats, which are the determinants of social risks. In the article, an analysis of creating information threats, including producing and reporting information in propaganda and the traditional and modern media, is of significant importance. The impact and role of mass media on awareness-raising is presented, revealing mechanisms for influencing public opinion.

The dynamic civilisation transformations observed worldwide in recent years have arisen from the rapid development of information and the ICTs that support it. Cyberspace is a new sphere affected by these processes, and it evolves alongside the threats occurring therein. Nowadays, no country’s cyberspace is entirely secure. Cyber threats are characterised by unpredictability and global reach. In modern times, cyberspace is a symbol of development, the freedom of speech, and the right to privacy and every interference in the behaviours of its users is associated with an attack on these values. The article discusses the fundamental problems concerning operations in cyberspace justified by the violation of human rights but should also be assessed in the context of interference with the scope of individual rights and freedoms, including in times of seemingly normal functioning, namely in times of peace.

The article attempts to identify information hazards to Poland in the context of hazards determining the loss of the state’s image as perceived by international opinion, indicating the metamorphosis associated with conditions characteristic for the social influence operations. The impact of tendencies in building of the national and international security, being determinants for social hazards, was emphasised. An analysis of development of information hazards, their dissemination and resonance in Poland in the period between 2016 and 2021, forms a prominent part of the article. The influence and the role of mass media in shaping of awareness were presented, revealing mechanisms for creating the public opinion.

Transformation and informatisation of society contribute to introducing social media and information and communication technologies (ICT) as an integral part of society. The article is devoted to studying forming such a key competence of modern personality as media literacy through social media. The analysis of recent research and publications shows that the use of social media is controversial and has already been studied by scholars in various aspects. The use of social media today can be perceived as a pedagogical tool and a lever of information and political influence on society. Taking into consideration the imposition of martial law in Ukraine, we experience a special need to create own platforms of proven and quality information presented to the audience on social media as well as experts and influencers that will support the image and spirit of the country and ensure the dissemination of verified and reliable information. Education is considered the main counteraction to propaganda, manipulation and bias, and educators have been the headliners of the educational process. When conducting the research, the following tasks were set: 1) to find out the peculiarities of social media functioning (especially in martial law); 2) to test the feasibility of using social media as a tool for forming media literacy (based on findings of the educators in Dnipropetrovsk region). To conduct a comprehensive study of the use of social media as a tool for forming media literacy, we used a mixed research design based on quantitative and qualitative methods. The information overload that occurred at the beginning of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine negatively affected Ukrainian citizens’ ability to perceive information critically. However, by adapting to life in new conditions and restoring the ability to think critically, citizens continued their professional activities at a qualitatively new level. Exploring the potential of using social media for political manipulation and propaganda requires further in-depth study and analysis and can serve as a basis for political or psychological research in modern society.

The COVID-19 pandemic made the authorities of many countries take extraordinary steps to prevent the new disease from spreading. They were not limited to improving the operation of healthcare but also extended to a range of areas of social and political life. That resulted in restrictions to fundamental human and civil rights and freedoms. A number of doubts voiced in the public debate in this connection encourage a scientific consideration of the legal aspects of restricting the rights and freedoms in connection with the pandemic. This paper is aimed at presenting disinformation as a hazard to the right to the freedom of speech, constitutionally protected in democratic states.

A questionnaire-based study conducted in October 2021 provided analytical material on the degree and sources of disinformation in Polish society. The material has representative qualities and is the first comprehensive research project in Poland to cover issues regarding information security in such breadth and detail. The paper aims to analyse and present a study on disinformation in Polish society conducted on a representative group of Poles in 2021. The project's key research questions are: How receptive is the Polish public to disinformation content? What are the channels of information provided to Poles? Is the notion of disinformation familiar to the Polish audience, and do the recipients of media content search for methods to verify disinformation? The analysis and interpretation of the results identified some important features of the Polish disinformation map. The concept of disinformation is now commonly familiar to the Polish public (86%), and the sensitivity to content credibility can be regarded as high; the respondents were found to verify information, actively searching through various sources. Disinformation is rife in climate, energy (52%), and health (44%).

The article aims to identify social impact activities in the context of information operations conducted by Ukraine during the 2022 war. An analysis of the creation and spread of information threats as a result of Russia’s ongoing conflict is driven by the increasing impact of communication on global security. The content of the study highlights the impact of trends in the creation of information threats, which are the determinants of social risks. In the article, an analysis of creating information threats, including producing and reporting information in propaganda and the traditional and modern media, is of significant importance. The impact and role of mass media on awareness-raising is presented, revealing mechanisms for influencing public opinion.

This paper aim to explore that Russian propaganda has a long historical tradition and a rich instrumentarium. The development of the internet and social media has increased the possibilities for distributing propaganda messages. The principal objective of Russian propaganda is to influence the public opinion in cooperation with persons acting as translators, and to distribute contents – in various national languages – in conformity with the Russian policy and ideology. A tangible objective is to change the opinion about the Russian Federation and its policy so that one negative opinion is matched with at least three positive ones.

Russian Disinformation and Propaganda Campaign Justifying the Annexing of Crimea in 2014

On February 26, 2014, the Russian Federation annexed the Crimean Peninsula. Russia’s unlawful actions have been condemned in the international arena, but this has in no way changed the decision of the authorities in the Kremlin. In order to prove the legitimacy of the occupation of Crimea, the Russian Federation launched a disinformation and propaganda campaign aimed primarily at the internal arena, i.e. at the Russians. The aim of the article is to analyze selected statements by Vladimir Putin regarding the annexation of Crimea and to try to answer the question of whether disinformation and internal propaganda were effective in convincing Russians that the occupation of Crimea was an act of restoring historical justice. For the purposes of the article, research methods appropriate for international relations were used.

This article discusses the modern concept of civic education and its history, which dates back to ancient times. Civic education is perceived as the process of educating individuals about their rights and responsibilities as members of a society and preparing them to participate in the democratic process. One of the key objectives of civic education is to promote active citizenship and engagement in the democratic process. The article highlights the interdisciplinary nature of civic education and its connection to a well-constructed educational system, as well as detects the biggest challenges for the process. The purpose of the article is to introduce the importance and development of civic education and to analyze its state in Poland, noting the changes that have taken place over the course of the 21st century. To accomplish this objective, the author decided to compare various reports on both the state of democracy and education in Poland. Furthermore, the author sought to underscore the significance of the individuals responsible for educating society, as well as the methodologies employed in civic education, which significantly influence the formal civic education of young individuals. Such ideas were also presented in the recommendations.

Students’ attitudes to the infodemic phenomenon in the perspective of improving media literacy in academic education

The article presents the results of a study that aimed to analyse students’ attitudes towards infodemic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The author adopted the interpretation of infodemic as a process of spreading an excess of untrue information, which complicates the evaluation and selection of reliable content. The research problem was the question of students’ attitudes towards false information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The research sample consisted of 37 students of pedagogy. The research was conducted in a qualitative research paradigm. The results indicated that the surveyed students had a positive and stable organisation of their own knowledge, beliefs, feelings, and such forms of behaviour and expressive reactions as are necessary when confronted with infodemic. The respondents declared that they search for content in various sources and make a critical comparison and identification of false content. Despite this, they do not have a sufficiently in-depth knowledge of how to debunk false information. They feel the need for a great deal of cognitive effort to verify content. Therefore, the author makes recommendations for the formation of critical media literacy – as a way of building social resilience to disinformation and other disorders of the information age.

Research objective – The aim of this article is to analyse the specifics of Russian information warfare. Starting from the definition of the concept of political strategy, the author tries to show that information warfare is one of the key instruments in the confrontation with Western states, and that the war in Ukraine has intensified Russia’s activities in this area, also towards Central European states. The means and tools used are an instrument for influencing the political and social processes taking place in other countries. Methodology – The study used a comparative method, collecting and analysing historical data and comparing theoretical approaches to categories such as political strategy, information warfare and hybrid warfare. Findings – The correlation analysis of Russian geopolitics and information warfare confirms that it is a dangerous weapon: a means of achieving the state’s goals in international, regional and domestic politics, as well as of ensuring its geopolitical superiority regionally and globally. Practical implications – This study aimed to organise and expand the available literature on the analysis of the specifics of Russian information warfare.

This paper aims to shed light on the propaganda tool Russia has chosen to promote its imperial desire – the reconstruction of the Soviet Union. The research takes the Putin era, from the year 2000 to the present, as a timeframe. The data in this research was primarily a library-based study using primary research resources. The study uses a systemic method by approaching the post- Cold War era as a system impacted by Russia’s policies in the decision-making sphere. The primary research question: Is propaganda a tool for rebuilding the Soviet Union? The hypothesis: Russian propaganda serves as a strategic tool for fostering sentiments of unity and potential efforts to revive the appearance of the Soviet Union. A detailed description of the following questions helps provide tremendous insight into implementing the main question: What is Russia’s propaganda strategy? How does Russia’s disinformation and propaganda strategy operate in post-Soviet countries?