Information Wars: Disinformation and Manipulation in the 21st Century brings together students, researchers, and professionals from CIVICA universities for a workshop and a conference focused on AI-driven misinformation, emotional manipulation, and strategies to safeguard truth online. Participants will learn directly from experts in AI, journalism, and policy, gaining practical tools to navigate the modern information landscape.
Event details
Workshops at Warsaw:
Dates: 26 - 27 March
The program focuses on political information, specifically the utilization of AI in disinformation and the role of emotions in manipulation and disinformation. Furthermore, the sessions will cover the mechanics of algorithms and the existing legal tools available to counteract disinformation.
The workshops will be led by AI expert Piotr Niedbała, Jakub Szymik, founder of CEE Digital Democracy Watch, and Dr. Paula Wiśniewska-Bartoszewicz, an expert from the Team Europe Direct.
Workshop Schedule:
Workshop 1: Disinformation in the EU: How It Works and How to Fight It
Speaker: Dr. Paula Wiśniewska-Bartoszewicz, a Team Europe Direct expert and political scientist.
When: 26 March, 1:30pm
Where: SGH, room G-211 / Online (Hybrid format).
Topics: Disinformation, the Digital Services Act (DSA), and EU information policy.
Register here for the event (a link to the meeting will be sent out to registered participants via e-mail)
Workshop 2: The Synthetic Frontier: AI-Driven Disinformation in the 21st Century
Speaker: Piotr Niedbała, Product Manager and lecturer at Kozminski University.
When: 26 March, 5:15pm.
Where: SGH, room G-152 (In-person).
Topics: Deepfakes, bots, and the technical aspects of fighting AI with AI.
Workshop 3: Digital Democracy: Salvation or Threat?
Speaker: Jakub Szymik, founder of the CEE Digital Democracy Watch Foundation.
When: 27 March, 12:00pm.
Where: SGH, room S-20 (In-person).
Topics: Building social resilience against digital lies and the role of the citizen in an algorithmic world.
Conference at Warsaw
Date: 7 May
The event will consist of three panels titled: Safeguarding Democracy Between Populism and Propaganda; Fact-checking, Truth and Responsibility in the Digital Public Sphere; The Reshaping of Journalism in the AI-Driven Public Sphere.
Full details on times, exact venues, and registration TBC.
