A Polish research institute asked social media platforms to moderate more than 2,000 accounts spreading false claims after the Kraków shooting, underscoring the online fallout from an attack that killed six people.
The Digital Affairs Ministry said in a Nov. 8 notice that Naukowa i Akademicka Sieć Komputerowa – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (NASK) had referred the accounts to platforms. The tally came from monitoring over the previous 24 hours; the ministry gave no precise start time.
The ministry said platform algorithms can bring emotionally charged misinformation to wider audiences. Its notice addressed claims that circulated after the shooting and drew no connection between the accounts and the gunman.
Kraków officials said in a Nov. 9 update that the Nov. 7 shooting in the city’s Main Market Square left six people dead and 15 wounded. Police shot the 24-year-old attacker during their intervention, and he died in a hospital on Nov. 9.
The prime minister’s office initially reported 16 wounded, a figure that included the attacker. The city’s later total counted 15 wounded victims. A presidential decree set Nov. 8 and 9 as days of national mourning.
Separately, European Commission PreparEU Advisory Group member Jacek Siewiera told Euronews in a Nov. 9 interview that social media plays “a critical role” in radicalization. His warning addressed radicalization generally.
The prime minister’s office said investigators were examining the suspect’s history, possible associations and preparations. It urged the public to avoid unverified claims about his motive.
The European Commission established the advisory group Oct. 30, before the shooting, to advise on crisis preparedness and emerging risks. The group plans to present recommendations to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib by spring 2027.
