SC judgement on child pornography will have long lasting, global impact on society, says petitioner

New Delhi: The Supreme Court’s judgement that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act, will have long lasting and global impact on society, crime and child rights, a petitioner said.

Bhuwan Ribhu, petitioner and founder of Just Rights for Children Alliance, said India, has once again, paved the way globally by laying down the framework for prevention and protection of children from this transnational and organised crime.

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on Monday held that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act and the information technology law.

The apex court suggested Parliament consider amending the term ‘child pornography’ with “child sexually abusive and exploitative material” by bringing changes in law, and asked the courts not to use the term ‘child pornography’.

“This judgement will have a long lasting and global impact on society, crime and child rights and will be etched in history. When a person is searching for and downloading child exploitation and abuse material, they are creating the demand for the rape of our children,” he said.

Ribhu said this judgement also breaks away from the conventional terminology of ‘child pornography’ which is seen as an adult indulgence and creates the shift in narrative to ‘child exploitative and abuse material’ being a crime.

The apex child rights body, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo thanked the Supreme court for the judgement.

“Today, the Supreme Court delivered a verdict in an important case, stating that all sections of the POCSO Act are effective in cases involving the possession of child sexual abuse material on any device (mobile or otherwise). It emphasised the severity of each section related to child pornography cases and accepted the recommendations of NCPCR. Thank you judiciary,” Kanoongo said in a post on X.