The Republic of Hoax

Why do Slovaks believe hoaxes? How can we combat misinformation? You will find answers to these questions and much more at the presentation of Dávid Púchovský’s book.

What is a hoax?

A hoax is a false or misleading message that is often spread via the internet, email, social networks, or other media.

The purpose of a hoax is usually to

Deceive or manipulate people,

Cause panic, anger, or sympathy,

Get attention, clicks, shares, or money,

Sometimes even damage someone’s or something’s reputation.

Examples of hoaxes

False reports about diseases or medicines (e.g., “lemons cure cancer”),

Fabrications about political or public figures,

Challenges such as “if you don’t send this to 10 people, something bad will happen,”

Fictitious reports of danger (e.g., “beware of a killer hiding in the shopping center”).

How to defend yourself against hoaxes

Verify information from reliable sources (e.g., reputable media outlets, fact-checking websites such as hoax.cz, konspiratori.sk).

Be critical of sensational and shocking claims.

Do not forward messages whose veracity has not been verified.

Dávid Púchovský, a former member of the Police Force, spent seven years on the front line of the fight against fake news. In his book Republika hoaxu (The Republic of Hoaxes), he maps out time-tested disinformation that has become almost part of Slovak cultural heritage, recalls the most famous examples from recent years, and tries to answer the question of why Slovakia has become a republic of hoaxes and what we can do about it.

Admission is free. We look forward to seeing everyone interested on July 8 at 6:00 p.m. at the Summer Reading Room in the Medical Garden!

Location: Summer Reading Room Medická záhrada, Špitálska, Bratislava
Date: Tuesday, 08.07.2025
Time: from 18:00
Entry: free
If interested, register by email at marketing@starlib.sk

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