The article presents the activities of watchdog organizations in Poland. The functioning of non-governmental organizations is an important part of the state security system. Although Poles have for many years believed that democracy is the best form of government, they have little knowledge of the mechanisms of control of the democratic order in the state. This role is performed, inter alia, by citizens through the so-called watchdog organizations. The author's own research, conducted by the author on a sample of students of the Military University of Technology, confirms the poor knowledge of third sector organizations operating in this important area of civil society.