Fake news czy propaganda. Kiedy kłamstwo staje się prawdą?

Abstract Fake news or propaganda. When does a lie become the truth? Fake news is a concept that, especially in recent years, has been emerging as one of the biggest problems plaguing the mediosphere. Propaganda, on the other hand, erroneously seems to be a more distant, political phenomenon that does not touch the daily lives of most of its audience. However, we encounter each of them on a daily basis, although we often do not realise the significance of this ‘encounter’.Due to the development of technology and the ubiquity of social media the Internet has became the arena of political struggle. Through the content published, the conflicting parties want to exert influence, modify the public’s behaviour, but also take control of its perception of reality. It is not without reason that lies are often at the heart of these activities.Disinformation warfare is waged almost simultaneously with the firing of missiles in areas of armed conflict. In the online world, fake news is undoubtedly becoming one of the main weapons.For years, one of the symbols of the Polish struggle against this phenomenon has been the phrases ‘Polish death camps’ or ‘Polish extermination camps’. Although the walls of Auschwitz and Birkenau are a constant reminder of the horrors that took place there at the hands of the German Nazi regime, terms striking at historical truth continue to recur in the media. Leading politicians and prominent media corporations stand behind them. Through a case study, we want to attempt to answer the questions: why do words matter? What consequences can fake news have? Can ‘innocent’ mistakes by politicians and journalists be an effective propaganda tool?