The Voivodeship Administrative Court in its order of 30 October 2008 case file II SA/Wa 1885/07 held that the legislature clearly included in the definition of the press all existing and emerging as a result of technical progress, means of mass communication (…), to disseminate periodical publications in print, video, audio, or other distribution technology, and although there are no established views on the recognition of internet communication as the press therefore the content of the provisions of Article 7(2) pt 1 of the Polish Act of 26 January 1984 on Press law – APL – (in Polish: ustawa Prawo prasowe), published in Journal of Laws (Dziennik Ustaw) No. 5, item 24, with subsequent amendmets, should, however, allow for the broad understanding of the concept of “press”, as it was also interpreted by the Supreme Court in its order of 27 July 2007 case file IV KK 0174/07. See “Press law, case IV KK 174/07“. The court found that the Internet journals that can be considered as press publications, do not need to have a typical electronic “newspaper” form, similar to that published in the on line system by the big companies with the well-known news titles. Of course, it may also mean that the status of “the press” will get everything that is posted on the Internet, just because it is the result of technological progress and gets a potentially unlimited audience. Whether a publication that is available online has press characteristics should decided by the goal/objective/tasks of such publications. Since the role and task of the press is to disseminate information, the periodicity of communication, the cyclic information of the public of certain facts of social, economic, political, educational, cultural, music, film and art issues, etc., under the title, name, address or even a link it would indicate the purpose pursued by the editors, the publisher and the author of an electronic publication, a website that was created specifically for this purpose.

Categories: Art. 7(2) APL | computer law | e-law issues | e-press | personal rights or interests | Polish Act on Press Law | press law | press title | Voivodeship Administrative Court.