Poland's president signs law targeting 'trash streaming'

Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Friday signed into law legislation introducing criminal penalties for so-called "trash streaming," a growing form of online broadcasting that features violent, abusive or degrading acts performed for views and profit, his office announced on the US social media platform X.

The new law makes it a criminal offense to publicly distribute online content for financial or personal gain that depicts serious crimes, animal abuse, or the degrading treatment of another person, even if that person has consented. Offenders face prison sentences of up to three years, while livestreams showing or staging more serious crimes can carry penalties of up to five years.

The legislation targets what is known in Poland as "patostreaming" -- a term combining "pathological" and "streaming" -- which refers to livestreams or videos featuring shocking, dangerous, or humiliating behavior designed to attract large online audiences and generate advertising revenue or donations. The phenomenon has drawn public concern over its impact on young viewers and the commercialization of violence and abuse.

Konrad Ciesiolkiewicz, deputy head of the State Commission for Counteracting Child Sexual Abuse, welcomed the move, saying the new rules marked "the end of accepting the building of popularity by humiliating others." He argued that Poland should now quickly complete implementation of the EU's Digital Services Act, which requires online platforms to remove illegal content more effectively.

The measure received rare cross-party backing in parliament when it was approved in June, with support from both Prime Minister Donald Tusk's governing coalition and the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party. The far-right Confederation opposed the legislation, warning that it could lead to censorship.

The law forms part of a broader push by Polish authorities to strengthen online safety, particularly for children.