{"id":134170,"date":"2024-09-25T19:57:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-25T14:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&#038;p=134170"},"modified":"2025-03-03T11:32:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T06:02:16","slug":"law-against-child-pornography","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/law-against-child-pornography","title":{"rendered":"How Supreme Court strengthened the law against child pornography"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On September 23, the <\/span><b>Supreme Court strengthened laws against child pornography, ruling that viewing, possessing, or not reporting such content is punishable under the POCSO Act,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> regardless of sharing. This decision overturned a Madras High Court ruling that had dismissed charges against a 28-year-old man for downloading two child pornographic videos. In a 200-page judgement, the Bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala, defined the offence of <\/span><b>\u201cstorage of child pornography\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> more strictly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Section 15 of the POCSO Act<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Section 15<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the POCSO Act deals with the punishment for storing child pornographic material. Originally, this section only covered cases where child pornography was stored for <\/span><b>commercial purposes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, in 2019, the law was amended to introduce three distinct offences under <\/span><b>Sections 15(1), (2), and (3)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These cover different situations where possessing child pornography is punishable, depending on the <\/span><b>intent<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the way the material is handled:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage with the Intent to Share or Transmit<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: If someone stores child pornography but fails to delete, destroy, or report it with the <\/span><b>intention<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to share or transmit it, they can be penalised.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage for Display or Distribution<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Possession of child pornography for the purpose of distributing or displaying it, even if it is not shared, is a punishable offence unless it is being used as evidence in court or reported to authorities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Storage for Commercial Use<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Possessing child pornographic content for <\/span><b>commercial gain<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is also a serious offence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These offences are punishable with penalties ranging from <\/span><b>fines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>three to five years in prison<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Supreme court Verdict<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>CSEAM:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court has suggested to the Parliament to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) to replace the term<\/span><b> &#8216;Child Pornography&#8217; with &#8216;Child Sexual Exploitative and Abuse Material&#8217; (CSEAM).<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Court also asked the Union Government to issue an ordinance in the meantime to effect such an amendment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Inchoate offences: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In its ruling, the Supreme Court clarified that Section 15 also covers what are known as <\/span><b>inchoate offences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These are offences where the actions taken (such as viewing or storing the material) are seen as <\/span><b>preparatory steps<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> toward a further crime, like sharing or distributing the content.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Constructive possession: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court also introduced the concept of <\/span><b>constructive possession<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This means that a person can be held liable even if they don&#8217;t physically possess the material. For example, simply <\/span><b>viewing child pornography online<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, without downloading it, can be considered as possession because the individual exercises <\/span><b>control<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> over the content while watching.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Examples of Constructive Possession:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a person regularly watches child pornography but does not download it, they still exercise enough control (e.g., pausing, enlarging the video, etc.) to be considered in possession of the material.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If someone clicks on a link that opens a child pornographic video but fails to report the incident to authorities, they can also be held responsible, even if they immediately close the link.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Investigative Process: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To establish a person\u2019s intent (or <\/span><b>mens rea<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), law enforcement agencies will examine:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How the content was <\/span><b>stored or controlled<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the person took steps to <\/span><b>delete, destroy, or report<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it. The court has directed police to thoroughly investigate all subsections of <\/span><b>Section 15<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before concluding whether an offence has been committed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Supreme Court&#8217;s ruling reinforces the seriousness of child pornography offences by broadening the scope of accountability and emphasising the necessity of reporting such content. This interpretation aims to deter individuals from engaging in or tolerating the possession of child pornography and to protect the rights of children. By establishing stricter guidelines, the court highlights the moral responsibility of society to safeguard vulnerable individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8996%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Question For Practice:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/in-light-of-the-recent-supreme-court-judgement-regarding-child-pornography-analyse-the-evolving-legal-framework-concerning-child-protection-in-india-how-do-judicial-interventions-contribute-to-stren-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q. In light of the recent supreme court judgement regarding child pornography, analyse the evolving legal framework concerning child protection in India. How do judicial interventions contribute to strengthening child rights?\u00a0 <\/span><b>(15 Marks, 250 Words)<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8268%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 137.711%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.175%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.175%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.175%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UPSC Test Series 2024<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50.5357%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 87.175%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daily Main Answer Writing<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 137.711%; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On September 23, the Supreme Court strengthened laws against child pornography, ruling that viewing, possessing, or not reporting such content is punishable under the POCSO Act, regardless of sharing. This decision overturned a Madras High Court ruling that had dismissed charges against a 28-year-old man for downloading two child pornographic videos. In a 200-page judgement, the Bench, led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala, defined the offence of \u201cstorage of child pornography\u201d more strictly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":134371,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2124],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/134170"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/editorial-analysis"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134170"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/134170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":134217,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/134170\/revisions\/134217"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/134371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=134170"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=134170"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=134170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}