Polish association ‘Twoja Sprawa’ calls for immediate removal powers for UKE president to combat harmful child content online.
Association Proposes Immediate Removal Powers
The association appeals for changes in the bill, proposing that the President of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) be empowered to immediately order the removal of content harmful to children, including sexualized deepfakes, intimate photos from school settings, and real child images in sexual contexts.
The association argues that removal orders concerning illegal content about children should have immediate enforceability, preventing harmful material from remaining online for extended periods while awaiting potential appeals or court proceedings.
DSA Implementation Context
Following the president’s veto of the amendment to the Electronic Services Act, which has returned to the Sejm, the Ministry of Digital Affairs has prepared two projects. One designates the UKE president as coordinator of digital services, while the other directly implements DSA provisions into Polish law.
The association “Twoja Sprawa” believes the proposed changes should be incorporated into the second project that directly implements DSA provisions.
Real-World Impact and Data
The association cites cases such as when a 14-year-old girl’s face was digitally placed onto an adult woman’s nude body using artificial intelligence. “This is just one of many cases. Any use of children’s images in situations violating their dignity is wrong. Using them in sexual contexts is a great harm and threat to both their mental and physical health,” states the association.
Research conducted by UNICEF, ECPAT, and INTERPOL across 11 countries showed that at least 1.2 million children admitted their photos had been manipulated to create sexual deepfakes. “We believe politicians can jointly protect children by setting aside political disputes,” says Urszula Sowińska from the association’s board. “These proposals must be implemented. We have waited too long for effective legislative solutions. Let’s stand together to defend the children!” appeals Katarzyna Nowicka, Managing Director of the association.