{"id":162337,"date":"2026-01-15T13:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T12:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pb.edu.pl\/2026\/01\/15\/o-pladze-dezinformacji-podczas-kawiarni-naukowej-politechniki-bialostockiej\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T15:31:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T14:31:25","slug":"on-the-plague-of-disinformation-during-the-bialystok-university-of-technology-science-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archiwalna.pb.edu.pl\/en\/2026\/01\/15\/on-the-plague-of-disinformation-during-the-bialystok-university-of-technology-science-cafe\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Plague of Disinformation during the Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9"},"content":{"rendered":"
A coffee meeting that opened eyes to online threats. At Bialystok\u2019s Fama Caf\u00e9, with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee in the air, another meeting in the Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9 series took place. The main topic was the plague of our times: disinformation.<\/div>\n
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About important topics over coffee<\/h4>\n

For many students and residents of Bialystok, the Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9 is already a regular fixture in their calendars. Participants can expect engaging, up-to-date topics that expand knowledge about the world of technology.<\/p>\n

\u2013 We want to bring science closer to people \u2013 says Assoc. Prof. Dorota Mozyrska, DSc, PhD, Eng., organiser of the series and Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science at Bialystok University of Technology. \u2013 Stepping outside the university walls makes knowledge no longer associated with something difficult and inaccessible. Here, over coffee and cookies, we discuss socially and technologically important matters in a way that is understandable for everyone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Participants appreciate above all the relaxed nature of the meeting.<\/p>\n

\u2013 It\u2019s a great way to spend time in a different way, more effectively than in front of a phone screen \u2013 says Karolina Ledniowska, a student of Applied Mathematics at the Faculty of Computer Science, BUT.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Arkadiusz G\u00f3rski, a student of Biomedical Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, BUT, took away an important lesson from the recent meeting on disinformation.<\/p>\n

\u2013 I realised that the problem is the sheer amount of stimuli. We absorb so much information that we don\u2019t have time to consider what is fake \u2013 says Arkadiusz G\u00f3rski. \u2013 Although in the background noise of the caf\u00e9 you have to concentrate to catch all the details, a format of a short lecture over coffee is perfect for introducing the topic and conveying key information.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Experts warn: our brain does not seek the truth, but survival<\/h4>\n

Why do we so easily fall for \u201cfake news\u201d? On 14 January 2026, during the Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9, this was explained by Anna Mierzy\u0144ska, social media analyst and expert. According to her, disinformation targets our most primal instincts.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Our brain reacts emotionally because once upon a time, our survival depended on it. Disinformers know this and deliberately amplify emotions to stop us from thinking rationally. This destroys trust in the state, neighbours, and even science \u2013 Mierzy\u0144ska warned. \u2013 As long as we think, we can beat the algorithms \u2013 she added hopefully.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Meanwhile, Mateusz Zadroga, editor-in-chief of fakenews.pl<\/a>, gave participants a practical tool \u2013 a smartphone, but used wisely.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Each of us can stop the avalanche of lies. It\u2019s enough not to share something we are not sure about \u2013 said Zadroga. \u2013 If information triggers strong emotions, take a deep breath and check the source on Google. It\u2019s a simple test that can protect your loved ones from manipulation \u2013 advised the expert.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

He also mentioned the InfoTester.pl project, in which artificial intelligence (chatbot) assists anyone who has questions about the credibility of content encountered online. While AI can be used to create falsehoods, it can also be our best ally in learning and developing critical thinking.<\/p>\n

The idea of the Science Caf\u00e9: knowledge and meeting authorities over coffee and cake<\/h4>\n

Where did the idea come from to discuss complex, often technological issues in a caf\u00e9 rather than a university hall? Prof. Dorota Mozyrska, Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science, BUT, and organiser of the series, explains the event\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

\u2013 We meet in the welcoming Fama Caf\u00e9, not within university walls, to discuss difficult topics that are not always accessible to a wide audience in an approachable and open way. This is how we bring science closer to people, and that is the most important mission of our university \u2013 says Prof. Mozyrska. \u2013 We look for interesting speakers, experts in their fields. The topics for future caf\u00e9s often come from them. Usually, we choose those that seem most relevant at the moment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9s take place regularly, usually once a month. It is a place for everyone \u2013 from youth and students to seniors. Participants share an important trait: openness to knowledge and a desire to understand phenomena occurring in a rapidly changing reality.<\/p>\n

During Bialystok University of Technology Science Caf\u00e9s, we have discussed, among others:<\/p>\n