Krzysztof Gawkowski demands stricter safety measures from digital platforms

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, Krzysztof Gawkowski, has met with executives from major digital platforms, including Meta, Google, TikTok, Roblox, Discord, Snap, and X, to demand improved safety measures for internet users, particularly minors.

During the meeting, Gawkowski presented evidence of platform inefficiency regarding illegal content. Specifically, between October 7 and 12, Polish authorities and institutions reported 89 instances of content violating the penal code, yet platforms only removed 30 of these cases. The Minister criticized the platforms for allowing the spread of information related to recent school knife attacks and harmful content.

Key demands from the government include the immediate removal of accounts belonging to children under 13, more effective age verification methods, and improved moderation of traumatic content. In response, platform representatives have committed to conducting training sessions in the coming weeks and establishing faster direct communication channels with Polish services to streamline the reporting of illegal content.