Demagog

Report March 2025

Submitted

Demagog is the first Polish fact-checking organization, established in 2014. Our mission is to combat disinformation and improve the quality of public debate by providing access to unbiased and credible information. For more than 10 years we’ve been fact-checking political claims, keeping track of the promises and debunking harmful disinformation. We strive to build a strong misinformation-resilient civil society that keeps politicians accountable for what they say and promise. We believe that we can achieve this goal by empowering citizens with critical fact-checking and media literacy skills. That’s why we share our expertise with others in our educational project called Fact-checking Academy. We are signatories to the 2022 European Code of Practice on Disinformation and the Polish Code of Good Practices in Combating Disinformation. We are members of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN) and the Central European Digital Media Observatory Hub (CEDMO). We are partners to Meta's Third Party Fact-checking Program and TikTok's Fact-checking Program.

Empowering fact-checkers

Commitment 33

Relevant Signatories (i.e. fact-checking organisations) commit to operate on the basis of strict ethical and transparency rules, and to protect their independence.

We signed up to the following measures of this commitment

Measure 33.1

In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?

If yes, list these implementation measures here

Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?

If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?

Measure 33.1

Relevant Signatories will comply with the requirements of instruments such as being verified signatories of the International Fact-checking Network (IFCN) Code of Principles or the future Code of Professional Integrity for Independent European fact-checking organisations.

Demagog Association commits to operate under strict ethical and transparency rules and to comply with relevant codes setting the qualitative standards for the fact-checking community based on principles of transparency, non-partisanship and fairness. 

QRE 33.1.1

Relevant Signatories will report on the status of their membership to instruments such as those mentioned in Measure 33.1 and the actions taken as a result of that to ensure strict ethical and transparency rules, and to protect their independence.

Demagog Association maintains its commitment to adhere to highest qualitative standards for the fact-checking community. Since 2019 we are verified member of the International Fact- Checking Network (IFCN). 

As of March 2025, in the IFCN there are 68 verified active signatories and 10 organizations under renewal process which come from EU member states, Council of Europe states and Kosovo. 

Since 2023 we are certified members of the European Fact- Checking Standards Network. We have been verified as compliant with its Code. As of March 2025, there are 60 verified members of the EFCSN and 4 organizations under review procedure. 

The European Code of Standards for Independent Fact- Checking Organisations is a set of criteria designed to ensure that organisations fact-checking mis and disinformation adhere to the highest standards of methodology, ethics and transparency in order to best serve the public interest. 

Membership in the EFCSN signifies an organisation’s rigorous commitment to provide accurate information ethically and transparently, without bias or prejudice. Members focus on maders in the public interest and have a proven track record of excellence, integrity and accountability. 

Our membership in the IFCN has been renewed on 4th of October 2024. 
We plan to renew our membership in the EFCSN in April / May 2025. 

SLI 33.1.1

Relevant Signatories will report on the number of European fact-checkers that are IFCN-certified or are members of the future Code of Professional Integrity.

Number of organizations verified in the IFCN and the EFCSN is based on territorial principle. Organizations taken into account are located in the EU member states, Council of Europe member states, Kosovo and Belarus. 
  • Nr of fact-checkers IFCN-certified: 68 signatories, 10 organizations under renewal, 9 organizations with certification expired 
  • Nr of fact-checkers EFCSN- certified: 60 verified members, 4 organizations under review 

Permanent Task-Force

Commitment 37

Signatories commit to participate in the permanent Task-force. The Task-force includes the Signatories of the Code and representatives from EDMO and ERGA. It is chaired by the European Commission, and includes representatives of the European External Action Service (EEAS). The Task-force can also invite relevant experts as observers to support its work. Decisions of the Task-force are made by consensus.

We signed up to the following measures of this commitment

Measure 37.1 Measure 37.2 Measure 37.3 Measure 37.4 Measure 37.5 Measure 37.6

In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?

If yes, list these implementation measures here

Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?

If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?

Measure 37.1

Signatories will participate in the Task-force and contribute to its work. Signatories, in particular smaller or emerging services will contribute to the work of the Task-force proportionate to their resources, size and risk profile. Smaller or emerging services can also agree to pool their resources together and represent each other in the Task-force. The Task-force will meet in plenary sessions as necessary and at least every 6 months, and, where relevant, in subgroups dedicated to specific issues or workstreams.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Measure 37.2

Signatories agree to work in the Task-force in particular – but not limited to – on the following tasks: Establishing a risk assessment methodology and a rapid response system to be used in special situations like elections or crises; Cooperate and coordinate their work in special situations like elections or crisis; Agree on the harmonised reporting templates for the implementation of the Code's Commitments and Measures, the refined methodology of the reporting, and the relevant data disclosure for monitoring purposes; Review the quality and effectiveness of the harmonised reporting templates, as well as the formats and methods of data disclosure for monitoring purposes, throughout future monitoring cycles and adapt them, as needed; Contribute to the assessment of the quality and effectiveness of Service Level and Structural Indicators and the data points provided to measure these indicators, as well as their relevant adaptation; Refine, test and adjust Structural Indicators and design mechanisms to measure them at Member State level; Agree, publish and update a list of TTPs employed by malicious actors, and set down baseline elements, objectives and benchmarks for Measures to counter them, in line with the Chapter IV of this Code.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Measure 37.3

The Task-force will agree on and define its operating rules, including on the involvement of third-party experts, which will be laid down in a Vademecum drafted by the European Commission in collaboration with the Signatories and agreed on by consensus between the members of the Task-force.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Measure 37.4

Signatories agree to set up subgroups dedicated to the specific issues related to the implementation and revision of the Code with the participation of the relevant Signatories.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Measure 37.5

When needed, and in any event at least once per year the Task-force organises meetings with relevant stakeholder groups and experts to inform them about the operation of the Code and gather their views related to important developments in the field of Disinformation.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Measure 37.6

Signatories agree to notify the rest of the Task-force when a Commitment or Measure would benefit from changes over time as their practices and approaches evolve, in view of technological, societal, market, and legislative developments. Having discussed the changes required, the Relevant Signatories will update their subscription document accordingly and report on the changes in their next report.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

QRE 37.6.1

Signatories will describe how they engage in the work of the Task-force in the reporting period, including the sub-groups they engaged with.

Demagog Association actively participates in the work of the Permanent Task-force. We are in the following subgroups: Crisis Response Subgroup, Outreach and Integration Subgroup, Empowering Fact-checkers Subgroup and the Working Group on Elections. 

Monitoring of the Code

Commitment 38

The Signatories commit to dedicate adequate financial and human resources and put in place appropriate internal processes to ensure the implementation of their commitments under the Code.

We signed up to the following measures of this commitment

Measure 38.1

In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?

If yes, list these implementation measures here

Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?

If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?

Measure 38.1

Relevant Signatories will outline the teams and internal processes they have in place, per service, to comply with the Code in order to achieve full coverage across the Member States and the languages of the EU.

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to ensure the proper implementation of the Code. 

QRE 38.1.1

Relevant Signatories will outline the teams and internal processes they have in place, per service, to comply with the Code in order to achieve full coverage across the Member States and the languages of the EU.

Demagog Association delegated its Director of International Affairs, Pawel Terpilowski, to be a representative of the organization in the work of the Permanent Task-force. He is also coordinating all of the activities that the Demagog Association is undertaking to ensure the proper implementation of our commitments in the Code of Practice. Those actions and measures are supervised by the Board of the Demagog Association. Demagog Association allocates necessary financial resources to ensure compliance with the Code. 

Commitment 39

Signatories commit to provide to the European Commission, within 1 month after the end of the implementation period (6 months after this Code’s signature) the baseline reports as set out in the Preamble.

We signed up to the following measures of this commitment

In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?

If yes, list these implementation measures here

Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?

If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?

Commitment 40

Signatories commit to provide regular reporting on Service Level Indicators (SLIs) and Qualitative Reporting Elements (QREs). The reports and data provided should allow for a thorough assessment of the extent of the implementation of the Code’s Commitments and Measures by each Signatory, service and at Member State level.

We signed up to the following measures of this commitment

Measure 40.1 Measure 40.2 Measure 40.3 Measure 40.4 Measure 40.5 Measure 40.6

In line with this commitment, did you deploy new implementation measures (e.g. changes to your terms of service, new tools, new policies, etc)?

If yes, list these implementation measures here

Do you plan to put further implementation measures in place in the next 6 months to substantially improve the maturity of the implementation of this commitment?

If yes, which further implementation measures do you plan to put in place in the next 6 months?

Measure 40.1

Relevant Signatories that are Very Large Online Platforms, as defined in the DSA, will report every six-months on the implementation of the Commitments and Measures they signed up to under the Code, including on the relevant QREs and SLIs at service and Member State Level.

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Measure 40.2

Other Signatories will report yearly on the implementation of the Commitments and Measures taken under the present Code, including on the relevant QREs and SLIs, at service and Member State level.

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Measure 40.3

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Measure 40.4

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Measure 40.5

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Measure 40.6

Demagog Association reaffirms its commitment to provide relevant yearly reporting on the implementation of its commitments and measures in the Code of Practice as well as adequate feedback on improving the monitoring and reporting framework of the Code 

Crisis and Elections Response

Elections 2024

[Note: Signatories are requested to provide information relevant to their particular response to the threats and challenges they observed on their service(s). They ensure that the information below provides an accurate and complete report of their relevant actions. As operational responses to crisis/election situations can vary from service to service, an absence of information should not be considered a priori a shortfall in the way a particular service has responded. Impact metrics are accurate to the best of signatories’ abilities to measure them].

Threats observed or anticipated

 During the reporting period, two election campaigns took place in Poland. Apart from the European elections in June, Polish local elections were organized in early April. Due to this particular national context, the nature of political debate in Poland seamlessly transitioned from a local focus to issues related to the European Union. This meant that Poland experienced a prolonged campaign period that lasted from February all the way to the European elections in June. The challenges related to these two election campaigns differed. In local elections, due to their scale, insufficient fact-checking at the local level was one of the most relevant issues. No significant disinformation campaigns related to local elections were observed. Regarding the European elections, disinformation narratives focused on specific EU policies and political agendas, rather than undermining election integrity. We can highlight a few examples of such narratives: 
  • EPBD: Disinformation narratives regarding the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive were present in the public debate on a large scale. Claims that Poles would be expropriated from their homes due to the enforcement of the measures in the Directive were propagated mainly by right-wing politicians. 
  • Migration Pact: With the approval of the new Migration and Asylum Pact, discussion regarding the potential legal consequences of this document quickly erupted. Right-wing politicians from parties like Konfederacja or Suwerenna Polska claimed that Poland would be forced to accept migrants or pay 20,000 EUR, without providing additional context regarding other measures and policies within the legal framework. It was also claimed that these new migration policies were the result of countries like Spain, Italy, Germany, and France wanting to ship or "export" their own problems to more stable countries like Poland. 
  • Green Deal: Narratives regarding issues like food imports from outside the EU were spread concerning the EU Green Deal. Politicians claimed that the EU Green Deal would lead to the destruction not only of domestic agriculture and food production in Poland, but also in the EU overall. In more radical cases, it aligned with climate change denial. We assess that the majority of EU-related disinformation during the European election campaign period originated domestically and was disseminated for the political purposes of specific candidates and parties.


Demagog Association has prioritized the election-related disinformation within the scope of its fact-checking partnerships with very large online pla]orms - Meta and TikTok. 
We were part of the EFCSN’s Elections24Check project supported by the Google News Initiative. As one of the most active participants, we have submided 2ti7 fact-checks to the repository, focusing on various EU-related issues. 
In order to overcome the challenges related with the limited scope and reach of our activities, we have partnered with the Google News Initiative to organize two fact-checking hackathons for journalists, activists and concerned citizens. The concept was to promote the idea of factchecking, share our expertise and know-how and also increase the reach of our work. 
The first hackathon before the local elections was joined by more than ti0 participants, from 19 different media outlets. Together, they have produced 75 fact-checking articles. The second hackathon before the European elections was also joined by more than ti0 participants from 10 different media outlets. They have produced 14 articles. 
As a member of the Central European Digital Media Observatory Hub we were involved in producing regional briefs on current disinformation trends related to the European elections. We have also shared our insights with other members of fact-checking community within the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, the International Fact-Checking Network, as a member of Elections Working Group in the Code of Practice Permanent Task-Force and with other stakeholders. 

Mitigations in place

Demagog Association has prioritized the election-related disinformation within the scope of its fact-checking partnerships with very large online platforms - Meta and TikTok. 
We were part of the EFCSN’s Elections24Check project supported by the Google News Initiative. As one of the most active participants, we have submitted 267 fact-checks to the repository, focusing on various EU-related issues. 

In order to overcome the challenges related with the limited scope and reach of our activities, we have partnered with the Google News Initiative to organize two fact-checking hackathons for journalists, activists and concerned citizens. The concept was to promote the idea of factchecking, share our expertise and know-how and also increase the reach of our work. 

The first hackathon before the local elections was joined by more than 60 participants, from 19 different media outlets. Together, they have produced 75 fact-checking articles. The second hackathon before the European elections was also joined by more than 60 participants from 10 different media outlets. They have produced 14 articles. 

As a member of the Central European Digital Media Observatory Hub we were involved in producing regional briefs on current disinformation trends related to the European elections. We have also shared our insights with other members of fact-checking community within the European Fact-Checking Standards Network, the International Fact-Checking Network, as a member of Elections Working Group in the Code of Practice Permanent Task-Force and with other stakeholders. 

Empowering the Fact-Checking Community

Outline approaches pertinent to this chapter, highlighting similarities/commonalities and differences with regular enforcement.

Additional projects and activities 

Demagog Association was involved in two major projects related to the elections period in Poland. 

- Elections24Check project: 
The Elections24Check project aimed at increasing cross- country collaboration in detecting and debunking European electoral disinformation across the EU while promoting the access of European citizens to verified information so they could make informed decisions in the lead up to the European Elections in June 2024. It leveraged the collective expertise of European fact-checking organisations that are verified members of the European Code of Standards for Independent FactChecking Organisations. Elections24Check was a joint project of the European Fact-Checking Standards Network and its participating member organisations, supported by the Google News Initiative. Over 40 factchecking organizations participated in the project. 

- Fact-checking hackathons: 
Demagog Association with the support of the Google News Initiative have organized two hackathons for journalists, activists, students and concerned citizens before local and European elections. The concept was to promote the idea of fact-checking, share our expertise and know-how and also increase the reach of our work. Those events supported the fact-checking empowerment of local journalists by increasing their fact-checking capabilities.