The Supreme Court's judgement that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences), will have long-lasting and global impact on society, crime and child rights, a petitioner said. This was stated in a report by PTI. 

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

Following this, today, Monday, September 23, the Supreme Court held that watching and downloading child pornography are offences under the POCSO Act along with the information technology law. 

Furthermore, the apex court suggested the Parliament consider amending the term 'child pornography' with "child sexually abusive and exploitative material" by bringing changes in the law. 

"This judgement will have a long-lasting and global impact on society, crime and child rights and will be etched in history," said petitioner Ribhu. 

"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 added further.

In addition to this, Rubhi said that this judgement also breaks away from the conventional terminology of 'child pornography'. This is seen as an adult indulgence and creates the shift in the narrative to 'child exploitation and abuse material' being a crime.