Yes, ad blockers are legal in Poland, but their use is constrained by copyright, unfair competition, and digital services laws. The Polish Ombudsman for Digital Rights monitors compliance, while the 2026 Digital Services Act (DSA) alignment introduces stricter transparency obligations for platforms hosting blocked content. Publishers may challenge circumvention under copyright exceptions, but end-user ad blocking remains permissible unless tied to commercial piracy.
Key Regulations for Ad Blockers in Poland
- Copyright Law (Ustawa o prawie autorskim i prawach pokrewnych, Art. 79): Blocks circumvention of DRM-protected content only if ad blocking interferes with copyright enforcement mechanisms. Static ad blocking does not trigger liability.
- Unfair Competition Act (Ustawa o przeciwdziałaniu nieuczciwym praktykom rynkowym, Art. 15): Prohibits ad blockers that modify or suppress ads in a way that misleads users about sponsored content, particularly in e-commerce platforms regulated by the Polish Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK).
- Digital Services Act (DSA) Implementation (2026): Requires large online platforms (e.g., Google, Facebook) to disclose ad-blocking detection mechanisms and provide opt-out options for users. Non-compliance may result in fines up to 6% of global turnover under Polish DSA enforcement decrees.
Ad blockers distributing modified scripts to bypass platform defenses may face injunctions under civil courts, as seen in Wydawnictwo Presspublica v. AdBlock Plus (2023). However, individual use remains protected under Poland’s personal data and privacy laws (RODO), provided it does not infringe third-party intellectual property.