Watching ‘child sex abuse’ material is an offence: SC

• The Supreme Court of India has ruled that viewing, downloading, storing, possessing, distributing, or displaying pornographic acts involving children is criminal liability under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.
• The ruling was based on an appeal by Just Right for Children Alliance against a Madras High Court decision that mere possession or storage of pornographic material was not an offence under the Act.
• The court emphasized that the sexual act is only the beginning of a child’s victimisation, and that the knowledge that abuse is being watched by strangers exacerbates the psychological wounds.
• The court urged Parliament to amend the POCSO Act to substitute “child pornography” with “Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material” (CSEAM).