Abstract

Information, knowledge and technology are central to organising contemporary societies, and economic and political power are increasingly connected to intangible assets. Their enclosure and legal protection through intellectual property (IP) has been at the heart of this process.

This paper argues that, as a result of demands from multinational industries, recent policy developments and negotiations are expanding copyright protection related to digital technologies. The research draws on literature and interviews with civil society stakeholders to question whether this expansion reflects the economic interests of developing nations or whether they could deepen geopolitical inequalities. It also considers how, in a connected world, policymaking in one country or region that holds economic power in the digital environment can be enforced by others, and in particular, how the effects of this might be felt in developing nations.