It turns out that the smear campaign supporting Rafał Trzaskowski’s election bid is backed by a business network known as Estratos, which collaborates with Akcja Demokracja – an organization linked to the Civic Platform (PO). This group has previously interfered in Polish politics. The international network of companies, with ties to the U.S. Democratic Party and operating through profiles like “Do:łącz,” spent 1.4 million PLN in 2023 on advertisements aimed at influencing the Polish parliamentary elections.
Estratos Digital GmbH, the firm behind campaigns promoting left-wing organizations and discouraging participation in the 2023 referendum, is part of a network of companies based in Hungary, Austria, and Estonia that had also interfered in past Hungarian elections.
This network includes the Hungarian firm Datadat Professional KFT, Austria’s Estratos Digital GmbH (formerly Datadat GmbH), and Estonia’s Amplify App OÜ. It was established by individuals linked to the Hungarian opposition, including Ádám Ficsor and Tibor Dessewffy. In 2021, 80% of Datadat GmbH’s shares were acquired by Higher Ground Labs (HGL), a U.S. foundation affiliated with the Democratic Party that invests in political campaign technologies. These details were revealed by the portal Niezalezna.pl in an article published last week.
Today, Wirtualna Polska reports that in 2023, the Facebook page “Do:łącz,” managed by Amplify App OÜ, published ads worth 1.4 million PLN promoting organizations such as SEXEDPL and the Basta Foundation. The ads also discouraged participation in the PiS-backed referendum and targeted the right-wing Confederation party.
Some ads urged users to sign a petition titled “STOP ORLEN. Say NO to Orlen’s oil scams.” Others called for action against Confederation, promoted participation in the Civic Coalition’s June 4th, 2023 march, or encouraged people to sign a complaint by the Committee for the Defense of Democracy (KOD) regarding MP Jarosław Kaczyński’s behavior, Wirtualna Polska writes.
The website dolacz.org, connected to the Facebook page, did not disclose its funding sources or creators.
International Ties and Lack of Transparency
Hungarian firm Datadat, founded in 2016, became a key platform for opposition campaigns in Hungary in 2022, backed by Higher Ground Labs. Following controversy over foreign funding—estimated at $11 million by Hungarian authorities—the company rebranded to Estratos Digital GmbH. In Poland, it operates as a service provider, offering advertising technologies.
As we reported last week, Akcja Demokracja has been using Estratos’s Lunda payment system for several years to collect online donations. The Austrian firm also manages donor data for Akcja Demokracja. Our investigation found that many Polish organizations use the Lunda system. These groups generally oppose PiS rule and most have received funding from USAID or foundations linked to businessman George Soros. Coincidentally – or not – Lunda is also used by the Abortion Dream Team and the All-Poland Women’s Strike.
Illegal Campaigning?
Estratos, represented by Viktor Szigetvári, claims it operates legally in Poland by providing services to local clients, but invokes confidentiality clauses to avoid naming those clients. Szigetvári argues:
“Running independent digital campaigns during election periods to mobilize voters is legal in Poland.”
However, while the 2018 amendment to Poland’s electoral code decriminalized campaigning by NGOs, it did not fully legalize it. Non-governmental organizations may only publish neutral content, such as voter turnout campaigns. Encouraging specific voting choices, as seen in the “Do:łącz” ads, is illegal – only electoral committees and individual voters are allowed to engage in such political campaigning.
Democrats Primarily Behind Controversial Campaigning Methods
Estratos Digital exemplifies a broader pattern seen among actors affiliated with the U.S. Democratic Party, where digital political marketing and campaigning are increasingly leveraged—especially through online fundraising. These methods are often used to promote progressive political causes, support social movements, NGOs, and civic campaigns. Estratos, whose majority shareholder is the Democratic-aligned Higher Ground Labs Fund III LP, provides digital tools to mobilize supporters, analyze voter data, and influence elections via internet-based strategies. In Hungary, the firm has faced scrutiny over allegedly illegal data handling and opaque campaign funding. Many of those involved in these operations are directly linked to the Democratic Party, including former staffers from the Obama and Harris campaigns, indicating that such digital strategies are primarily employed by Democratic circles to sway public opinion and electoral outcomes abroad.