15 January 2026, Wrocław, Poland, SWPS University, Aleksandra Ostrowskiego 30B, 53-238 Wrocław
The programme will start at 9:00.
As participants in popular culture, we visit various fantastic universes—Marvel, Star Wars, or Harry Potter. These are fictional, complex, coherent, and refined worlds that are governed by their own laws.
But what is the universe in which we really live, not just in pop-cultural fantasies? How can we describe the universe of the modern world? What makes it unique and what laws govern it?
There is no doubt that the universes of contemporary societies are primarily worlds of intense information flow, providing access to huge collections of valuable data, but also generating chaos and numerous information disorders. Worlds of constant uncertainty: about truth, authority, ethics.
This is our diagnosis of the present day. The Disinfoverse is a universe of permanent information disorders, as well as a general crisis of certainty and security in the world.
In this universe of uncertainty, however, we would like to refer to what can guarantee (at least to some extent) freedom and responsibility, belief in science, professionalism, and a sense of security.
On January 15, 2026, in Wrocław, at the SWPS University at Aleksandra Ostrowskiego street 30B, the annual conference of CEDMO called “Disinfoverse. Different Dimensions of (Un)ertainty” organized by the Central European Digital Media Observatory (CEDMO) will take place.
In the context of the disturbing diagnosis of the present day, we will ask questions about freedom and responsibility for the world, and about how to ensure information security in an era of information chaos. We will consider what science can tell us about the present day, and how both newer and older media professions fit into this context. Is there still a place for them?
Panels
- How do we understand the concept of freedom of speech? Where should the line be drawn between combating false information and protecting free speech? Currently, what are the differences between the European and American approach?
- What legal frameworks exist to regulate disinformation while safeguarding free speech? What strategies have been effective in countering disinformation without infringing on free speech?
- What are the ethical risks of restricting speech, even when it spreads false information?
- Can fact-checking initiatives be truly neutral, and how should they be structured? How can journalists and media outlets regain public trust in an era of skepticism?
- What does the use of cyber-security tools look like with the example of strategies
to steal information through cyber-attacks and use this in the distribution of
disinformation through websites?
• Information from CERT and global (presentation to start with data)
• Discussion of the phenomenon of impersonation of politicians
• Force interception of accounts
• Impact on the economic situation
• Attacks on the mailboxes of politicians to use the acquired data for information operations - Cyber security in the aspect of disinformation research.
Presentation of selected methods for the study of cyber security and an attempt
to answer the possibilities and application to the study of disinformation
(what are the limitations in their application, areas of disinformation where
they can be applied). - Building scenarios of how information operations will look in the future and the
use of cyber security methods and tools in them. Attempting to forecast what
information operations will look like in 2035 and what tools and methods will be used.
• Overview of existing scenarios
• Tools and mechanisms for disinformation proliferation
• Scenario predictions
- Disinformation, FIMI, and fake news—problem of definitions and its practical implications (what to regulate).
- How do we try to research disinformation and why it is so difficult (concrete examples and research experience)?
- Research disinformation in the social sciences—approaches from psychology, media studies, and sociology. What we know for sure and why so little?
- Are there any models for studying this phenomenon?
- The problem of trust in science—why is it so low? Does science really give clear answers? Why is it difficult to communicate scientific results? Science and conspiracy theories.
- Does journalism have a chance to survive?
- In what model?
- What are the main problems of today’s journalism/media? What are the solutions?
- Is it possible to rebuild public trust in the media?
- Should a journalist still be objective (or critical of certain visions of the world)?
- What is the relationship between journalism and fact-checking?
- Do audiences need dailies and journalism and for what?
Keynote Speakers
The keynote speakers will be announced soon.
Partners
With the Support of:
This event received funding from the European Union under the call: DIGITAL-2023-DEPLOY-04, project 101158609 and is co-funded by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the program entitled “Projekty Międzynarodowe Współfinansowane” in the years 2024-2026 (contract no. 6054/DIGITAL/2024/2025/2).
This website reflects the views only of the independent consortium, and neither the Commission nor the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.