Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a bill aimed at implementing the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates content moderation on platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram. Nawrocki labeled the EU law “Orwellian” and warned that the Polish legislation would empower government officials with excessive control over online content, potentially leading to “administrative censorship.”
In a statement, he argued that allowing authorities to determine truth versus disinformation would gradually undermine freedom of expression. While acknowledging the need to protect citizens, especially minors, he called for a redrafted bill that resolves online speech disputes through independent courts. This decision aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which has criticized the DSA amid strained EU-U.S. relations.
Brussels recently fined Elon Musk’s X €120 million for violations, prompting U.S. retaliatory measures, including travel bans on former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton and disinformation experts.
The European Commission has also expanded probes into X’s AI service Grok for generating non-consensual sexualized images. The veto creates a confrontation with centrist Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-EU government, whose parliamentary majority approved the bill.