Supreme Court's Landmark Ruling on Child Pornography Sparks Global Impact

The Supreme Court's judgment that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act will have a lasting global impact on society, crime prevention, and child rights. Petitioner Bhuwan Ribhu praised the move, emphasizing its significance in framing new laws and semantics to combat child exploitation.

The Supreme Court's judgement that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act will have long-lasting and global repercussions on society, crime prevention, and child rights, according to petitioner Bhuwan Ribhu.

Ribhu, the founder of Just Rights for Children Alliance, lauded India for setting a precedent globally by establishing a framework for preventing and protecting children from such transnational and organized crimes.

In a landmark verdict delivered Monday, the Supreme Court declared that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act and the information technology law. The apex court also suggested that Parliament consider amending the term 'child pornography' to 'child sexually abusive and exploitative material,' recommending that courts refrain from using the term 'child pornography.'

Ribhu stated, "This judgment will have a lasting and global impact on society, crime, and child rights. It firmly establishes that searching for and downloading child exploitation and abuse material fuels the demand for the rape of our children."

He also emphasized that the ruling effectively breaks away from the conventional terminology of 'child pornography,' which is often seen as an adult indulgence, to 'child exploitative and abuse material,' thus reframing it as a crime.

(With inputs from agencies.)