Asked at a news conference about false information circulating online about the situation in the conflict zone and Polish citizens there, Gawkowski said his ministry went on alert on Saturday morning as the conflict in Iran began.
“I decided to strengthen monitoring of the Polish network so that we monitor everything that happens in terms of potential cyber incidents and attacks,” he said.
Gawkowski said a security committee met on Tuesday to review reports on building a “security umbrella” over Poland, including in cyberspace.
'Trolls, bots and other actors'
“We see increased elements of disinformation in Poland,” he said, adding that it suggested “a certain part of trolls, bots and other actors, often coming from Russia, Belarus,” aimed at sparking panic.
“We will reveal these narratives in the coming days,” he said.
He added that the ministry was working closely with online platforms to remove such content.
“We managed to extinguish these narratives; other European countries are reaching for our experience,” he said. “We are rising to the highest level when it comes to countering disinformation.”
Gawkowski said disinformation typically surges during conflicts and crises, and that Polish authorities responsible for information security were on the highest state of readiness.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP