Poland's parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly approved legislation aimed at cracking down on so-called "patostreaming," banning online content depicting illegal acts and other forms of abusive or degrading behavior.
The bill passed the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, with support from both Prime Minister Donald Tusk's governing coalition and the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Only lawmakers from the far-right Confederation and Confederation of the Polish Crown voted against the measure, arguing that it could lead to censorship.
The debate comes amid wider European efforts to regulate harmful online content.
The EU's Digital Services Act requires large platforms to remove illegal material and respond rapidly to content that promotes violence or serious harm. However, criminal liability for those who create such content remains largely the responsibility of individual member states.
The legislation targets a phenomenon that has become increasingly controversial in Poland over the past decade. Known locally as "patostreaming"—a combination of the words "pathology" and "streaming"—it refers to livestreams in which creators broadcast violence, humiliation, dangerous behavior, criminal acts, or other shocking content in order to attract viewers and advertising revenue.
Under the new rules, broadcasting serious crimes online, including acts such as rape or murder, can itself constitute a criminal offense punishable by up to five years in prison.
The law also covers content depicting cruelty to animals, violence intended to humiliate others, and certain forms of gambling promotion. Similar penalties will apply to individuals who stage or falsely portray such acts while streaming.
The move forms part of a broader effort by Poland to tighten regulation of online content. Recent initiatives have included restrictions on mobile phone use by children in schools and tougher age-verification requirements for access to online pornography.
Supporters argue that existing laws have struggled to address online content creators who profit from broadcasting abuse and anti-social behavior to large audiences, particularly young viewers.
Polish lawmakers backing the bill said the legislation is designed to close that gap and make content creators directly accountable rather than relying solely on platform moderation.
The bill must still complete the remaining stages of the legislative process before entering into law, but its near-unanimous passage reflects a rare consensus among Poland's normally polarized political parties.
