The bill, drawn up by the Ministry of Digital Affairs Ministry, is intended to enable authorities to issue orders restricting access to content that violates the law while protecting the rights of internet users, its drafters said.
Lawmakers in the lower house of Poland's parliament voted 242-61, with 136 abstentions, to approve the legislation.
The lower house earlier rejected several modifications proposed by the far-right Confederation party and one proposed by the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, while adopting an amendment put forward by PiS and the centrist Poland 2050 group, state news agency PAP reported.
The amendment gives immediate effect to orders blocking pornographic content involving minors or animals, as well as particularly graphic pornographic material.
The legislation was brought to a vote on Thursday afternoon after Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for provisions allowing authorities to immediately block hate speech online.
Speaking at a government meeting following a series of recent attacks at schools, Tusk said such powers were needed to protect children, students and teachers.
He noted that Nawrocki had vetoed the previous legislation.
Under the bill, courts and other authorised bodies will be able to issue orders to act against illegal online content, including material involving crimes, hate speech and fraud.
Internet service providers, including online platforms, will be required to restrict access to content covered by such orders.
Users whose content is restricted will be able to seek its restoration if they believe it was blocked incorrectly.
The head of Poland's Office of Electronic Communications will maintain a register of websites used to distribute illegal content.
Orders restricting access to illegal content can be challenged in a regular court, which will determine whether the material actually violates the law. The legislation therefore does not make such orders automatically enforceable before they can be challenged in court, officials said.
In particularly urgent cases, authorities will be able to give orders immediate effect. Prosecutors, police, the National Revenue Administration and Border Guard will be able to request expedited blocking of illegal content, including material involving the sexual exploitation of children, identity theft, fraud and copyright violations.
The bill now goes to the Senate, the upper house, for further debate.
The legislation follows Nawrocki's January veto of an earlier amendment to Poland's law on electronic services.
The veto prevented Poland from fully implementing the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which has applied across the bloc since February 2024, according to the PAP news agency.
The DSA establishes rules for online platforms and gives national judicial and administrative authorities the power to order service providers to take action against illegal content. Poland could face financial penalties for failing to put the required measures into practice.
Tusk raised the issue of online content during Thursday's emergency government meeting, saying authorities needed the ability to step in when online activity indicated that a threat was escalating.
He also called for provisions allowing authorities to immediately block hate speech.
(gs)
Source: IAR/PAP