In Poland, the Sejm passes a law on blocking illegal content on the internet
The Polish Sejm on October 8 adopted legislative changes that will allow state authorities to demand internet platforms restrict access to materials that violate the law. The new rules provide for accelerated blocking of specific categories of content, as well as mechanisms for users to appeal such decisions.
Rzeczpospolita and TVP World report this.
242 deputies voted in favor of the bill, 61 against, and 136 abstained.
The document provides for the introduction of a procedure under which courts and authorized state bodies will be able to issue orders to restrict access to illegal content. Internet platforms and other providers of digital services will be required to comply with such decisions.
This includes, in particular, materials related to sexual exploitation of children, fraud, theft of personal data, and other offenses.
The prosecutor's office, police, National Tax Administration, and Polish Border Guard will be able to apply for blocking.
Authorized regulators, including the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) and the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), will consider the relevant applications.
For particularly serious violations, the possibility of immediate execution of a blocking decision is provided. During the vote, deputies supported an amendment that concerns, in particular, materials with sexual exploitation of minors.
Users will be able to appeal blockings
The bill also contains guarantees to protect users from unjustified restriction of access to information.
Authors of the materials and other parties to the proceedings will be able to appeal the regulators' decisions in courts. In ordinary cases, the procedure provides for the possibility of judicial review before the execution of a blocking order.
Users will also have the right to demand restoration of access to content if a platform has removed it by mistake.
The new powers will apply to materials that violate the law, not any controversial statements or criticism. The illegality of the content itself must be the basis for applying the prescribed procedure.
Separately, the bill provides for the creation of a register of internet domains used to distribute illegal materials. It will be administered by the head of UKE.
Adoption accelerated after school attacks
The vote took place against the backdrop of a series of attacks in Polish educational institutions.
On October 8, in the village of Leszczydół-Nowiny near Warsaw, a 15-year-old former student attacked school staff with a knife. One woman died, two others were injured.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the attacker had a camera to film his actions. In the opinion of the head of government, the spread of violent content on the internet creates risks of imitation of similar crimes.
After this, the government called on parliament to accelerate the consideration of the legislative changes, which had been under review in the Sejm since September.
The new document is part of the implementation in Poland of the European Digital Services Act (DSA), which establishes rules for the operation of online platforms and user protection.
President Karol Nawrocki vetoed the previous version of the Polish law in January 2026. Subsequently, the government split the reform into two bills: one on platform oversight and the other on procedures for blocking illegal materials.
The document adopted on October 8 has not yet entered into force. It must be considered by the Polish Senate, after which the law will be sent to the president for signature.
Based on materials: Rzeczpospolita, TVP World, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland
