Emerging Issues in Copyright Protection

Grace Kalu

Abstract: This work considers the emerging issues in copyright law which includes copyright in a digitalized world, hyperlinking, software and open source, databases, and artificial intelligence. The questions raised here primarily revolve round the existence of requisite regulatory framework, and the efficacy of these frameworks in light of current digital realities. We adopt a desk-based research methodology to examine the areas aforementioned through a multijurisdictional approach covering the extant regime in Nigeria, United States of America and United Kingdom, with a major spotlight on Nigeria. From our findings, technology has affected the propelled the need for stricter regulatory approaches to curtail forms of copyright infringement in the digital era. However, some issues remain disputed, for example, the determination of authorship in work created by Artificial Intelligence. I advocate for forward-thinking policy considerations which will enable all frontiers opened by technology to be adequately addressed under Copyright or other Intellectual Property Laws.

Keywords: Copyright, Intellectual Property, Hyperlinking, Artificial Intelligence, Databases