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ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue XI November 2025

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Two Decades of Copyright and the Law: A Bibliometric Analysis

Nor Azlina binti Mohd Noor

School of Law and Legal Justice Research Centre, Universiti Utara Malaysia

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91100444

Received: 16 November 2025; Accepted: 22 November 2025; Published: 16 December 2025

ABSTRACT

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on copyright and the law, aiming to map

scholarly developments, thematic directions, and collaborative patterns over the past two decades. The problem

arises from the increasing complexity of copyright regulation in a rapidly evolving technological environment,

where digital dissemination, artificial intelligence and cross border content flows continue to challenge the

adequacy of traditional legal frameworks. To address this issue, the study employs a systematic methodology

beginning with Scopus advanced searching, which generated an initial dataset subsequently refined to 1,549

publications after applying inclusion criteria. The dataset was cleaned and harmonised using OpenRefine to

ensure consistent author, keyword and institutional information. Statistical trends and graphical insights were

derived from the Scopus Analyzer, while VOSviewer was used to visualise co authorship networks, keyword co-

occurrence structures and country-based research clusters. The numerical results indicate a steady growth of

publications with marked increases in recent years corresponding to intensified debates on digital rights, AI

generated content and international harmonisation of copyright standards. The United States, United Kingdom

and Germany emerge as dominant contributors, while nine keyword clusters reveal core themes such as copyright

law, intellectual property, fair use, authorship, artificial intelligence and digital rights management. Collaboration

mapping identifies eight clusters of international partnerships, reflecting strong networks in Europe and rising

participation from rapidly digitalising countries. The study concludes that research on copyright and the law is

expanding in complexity and scope, driven by technological innovations and evolving legal norms. The findings

offer a structured overview of the intellectual landscape, providing a solid foundation for future inquiry and

guiding policymakers and scholars in anticipating emerging regulatory challenges in the copyright domain.

Keywords: copyright, law, intellectual property, artificial intelligence, bibliometric.

INTRODUCTION

granting them exclusive control over the reproduction, distribution, and public display of their original works.

This legal framework is essential for encouraging innovation [1] and ensuring that creators can derive economic

benefits from their intellectual contributions [2]. However, the rapid evolution of technology and the digital

landscape have introduced significant challenges and complexities in the application and enforcement of

domains, and the implications for future legal and policy developments.

The problem statement for this study revolves around the increasing difficulty in balancing the rights of creators

with the public's need for access to information and cultural content. The digital era has exacerbated issues such

as digital piracy, the enforcement of copyright in online environments, and the tension between copyright

protection and freedom of information [2]. Additionally, the advent of new technologies, such as artificial

intelligence (AI), has raised questions about authorship, originality, and the use of copyrighted content for

training AI systems [3],[4]. These challenges necessitate a comprehensive examination of current copyright laws

and their effectiveness in addressing the needs of both creators and the public.

The need to carry out this study is underscored by the ongoing legal and technological developments that

continuously reshape the landscape of copyright law. For instance, the European Union's new Copyright Directive

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and the introduction of digital rights management systems (DRMS) highlight the dynamic interplay between law

and technology [5]. Furthermore, the dual protection of designs through both copyright and design law in the EU,

as seen in the Cofemel/G-Star case, illustrates the complexities and potential conflicts within the legal framework

[6]. By examining these developments, this study aims to provide insights into how copyright law can evolve to

better serve its intended purpose in a rapidly changing world.

The literature on copyright law reveals several key concepts and areas of focus. One significant area is the

relationship between copyright and privacy, particularly in the context of pre-trial discovery of identities of

internet users allegedly committing copyright infringements [7]. This relationship is complex, as copyright and

privacy can either reinforce each other or come into conflict. Another critical area is the intersection of copyright

and freedom of information, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the dissemination of knowledge and creative

practices [2]. The balance between protecting creators' rights and ensuring public access to information is a

recurring theme in literature.

Additionally, the relationship between copyright and contract law is explored, particularly regarding the regime

of fair remuneration introduced into European copyright law [8]. This regime aims to strengthen the bargaining

power of authors and performers, addressing issues of undue influence and inequality of bargaining power in

contractual agreements. The literature also examines the impact of digitalization on copyright law, highlighting

the emergence of new legal entities, objects, and rights, as well as the introduction of new restrictions and

exceptions [9]. These changes reflect the need for copyright law to adapt to the digital age and the challenges it

presents.

Accordingly, the study of copyright and the law is essential for understanding the evolving dynamics between

legal frameworks, technological advancements, and the protection of intellectual property. By examining the

complexities and challenges in this field, this study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on how copyright

law can be reformed and improved to better serve the interests of creators and the public. The insights gained

from this research will be valuable for policymakers, legal practitioners, and scholars in navigating the intricate

landscape of copyright law in the digital era.

Figure 1. Key concepts generated on copyright and the law

Figure 1 organises the topic of copyright and the law into a structured map that moves from a single central idea

to four major conceptual branches, each containing several related subtopics. The map begins with the core

concept and expands outward into contemporary issues, international agreements, legal framework and historical

context, which together present approximately a dozen specific themes that shape the modern understanding of

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infringement and globalism, indicating the growing complexity of copyright in a digital and borderless

environment. International agreements highlight instruments such as the Berne Convention and the role of global

cooperation. Legal framework focuses on civil law foundations and national copyright acts, while historical

context traces the origins of copyright through developments such as chap books and early statutory protections.

Overall, the map demonstrates that copyright evolves across historical, legal, international and technological

dimensions, and that a coherent understanding emerges only when these interconnected concepts are examined

together.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study investigates the following five research questions:

RQ1: What are the research trends of copyright and the law according to the year of publication?

RQ2: What is the top 10 cited articles of copyright and the law?

RQ3: Which is the top 10 countries on copyright and the law based on number of publications?

RQ4: What are the popular keywords related to copyright and the law?

RQ5: What is co-authorship by countries’ collaboration of copyright and the law?

METHODOLOGY

Bibliometrics refers to the systematic collection, organisation, and examination of bibliographic information

derived from scientific publications [1], [2], [3]. In addition to fundamental descriptive statistics, such as

identifying key journals, publication periods, and prominent authors[4], bibliometric inquiry encompasses more

advanced procedures, including document co-citation analysis. A rigorous literature review therefore requires a

careful and iterative process of defining appropriate keywords, retrieving relevant studies, and conducting

detailed analytical work. Such an approach supports the development of a comprehensive bibliography and

enhances the reliability of the findings [5].

Guided by these considerations, the study prioritised high-impact publications on the basis that they offer

substantive insights into the theoretical foundations of the field. To ensure the accuracy of the dataset, SCOPUS

was adopted as the principal data source [6], [7], [8]. To maintain scholarly quality, only peer-reviewed journal

articles were included, while materials such as books and lecture notes were intentionally omitted [9], [10]. Using

Elsevier’s Scopus, which is recognised for its extensive coverage, the study gathered publications from 2005

through November 2025 for subsequent analysis.

DATA SEARCH STRATEGY

The formulation of the search strategy drew heavily on a structured approach that prioritised conceptual clarity,

reproducibility and alignment with established practices for literature retrieval within legal and interdisciplinary

scholarship. By employing the Scopus advanced search interface, the strategy was constructed around a targeted

Boolean string that anchored the inquiry to the central concept of copyright while simultaneously capturing the

broader legal and regulatory dimensions associated with it. The chosen string, TITLE (COPYRIGHT AND (law

OR rule OR ruling OR polic* OR legal OR regulat* OR governance OR princip* OR convention OR ethic*)),

was designed to ensure that only works that explicitly referenced copyright together with at least one legal or

regulatory term in the document title were retrieved. This helped maintain conceptual relevance by filtering out

tangential discussions that mentioned copyright only incidentally within abstracts or keywords. The time filter

PUBYEAR > 2004 AND PUBYEAR < 2026 restricted the search to publications produced from 2005 to 2025,

thereby situating the dataset within two decades marked by significant global developments in digital

technologies, international agreements and evolving governance frameworks surrounding copyright. Limiting the

language to English was a practical decision, enabling consistent interpretation of legal terminology across

jurisdictions.

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The search was conducted with an access date of November 2025, which provides a clear temporal reference for

the state of the indexed literature at the time of retrieval. The initial search returned 2110 records, reflecting the

breadth of scholarship that intersects copyright and law in a period characterised by rapid technological change,

increasing cross border dissemination of creative works and ongoing policy debates across multiple regions.

Following this retrieval, a screening process based on transparent inclusion and exclusion criteria was undertaken.

Inclusion was limited to English language works published between 2005 and 2025, ensuring alignment with the

parameters defined in the initial query. Exclusion removed all materials published before 2005, as well as any

items in languages other than English or works that fell outside the conceptual scope upon closer inspection. This

screening stage served not merely as a numerical filter but as a quality control procedure to confirm that each

retained publication substantively engaged with copyright in relation to law, legal rules, regulatory mechanisms,

governance structures, ethical principles or international conventions. After applying these criteria, the final

dataset comprised 1549 publications. This reduction from the original 2110 records reflects the removal of items

that did not fully meet the predefined parameters although the retained corpus remains sufficiently large to

support a comprehensive analysis of trends, thematic developments and methodological approaches in the field.

The final count suggests a substantial and diverse body of work addressing copyright from legal and regulatory

perspectives across jurisdictions and disciplinary contexts, enabling a robust foundation for subsequent review,

synthesis and evaluative interpretation.

TABLE 1. THE SEARCH STRING

Source

Search string

Scopus

TITLE (COPYRIGHT AND (law OR rule OR ruling OR polic* OR legal OR regulat* OR

governance OR princip* OR convention OR ethic*)) AND PUBYEAR > 2004 AND

PUBYEAR < 2026 AND (LIMIT-TO (LANGUAGE, "English”))

Access date: November 2025

TABLE 2. THE SELECTION CRITERION OF SEARCHING

Criterion

Inclusion

Exclusion

Language

English

Non-English

Timeline

2005 – 2025

< 2005

> 2025

DATA ANALYSIS

VOSviewer, developed by Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman at Leiden University, the Netherlands [9], [11],

is a widely recognised bibliometric software intended for the visualisation and analysis of scientific literature.

Known for its intuitive and interactive interface, the software supports the construction of detailed network

visualisations, clustering analyses, and density maps, which allow researchers to identify structural patterns and

intellectual linkages within complex scholarly domains. Its versatility includes the mapping of co-authorship, co-

citation, and keyword co-occurrence networks, thereby providing comprehensive insights into the dynamics of

scholarly communication. Continuous updates and methodological enhancements strengthen its analytical

capacity, enabling both novice and advanced researchers to work effectively with large-scale bibliometric

datasets. The software’s ability to compute a broad range of metrics, customise visual outputs, and integrate with

multiple bibliometric data sources positions VOSviewer as an essential instrument for knowledge mapping and

research evaluation.

A notable advantage of VOSviewer lies in its capacity to convert highly complex bibliometric datasets into

visually interpretable maps and charts, facilitating the identification of keyword co-occurrence patterns, thematic

clusters, and citation linkages. In contrast with traditional bibliometric tools, VOSviewer combines

methodological rigour with accessibility, which expands its utility across various disciplinary areas. Its

adaptability, coupled with its emphasis on network visualisation and density mapping, ensures that

representations of research landscapes maintain precision and analytical clarity. The sustained development of

the software has reinforced its standing in bibliometric studies, with customisable features that offer researchers

both depth and flexibility when examining emerging research frontiers.

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For the present study, bibliometric datasets comprising publication year, title, author name, journal, citation

count, and keywords were extracted in PlainText format from the Scopus database, covering the period from

2005 through October 2025. These datasets were analysed using VOSviewer version 1.6.20, where clustering

and mapping techniques were applied to generate comprehensive knowledge maps. Methodologically,

VOSviewer provides an alternative to the Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) approach by placing items within

low-dimensional spaces so that the distance between items reflects their degree of relatedness and similarity [11].

Although conceptually related to MDS [12], VOSviewer differs by employing a more refined normalisation

method for co-occurrence frequencies, known as the association strength (ASij) [9], which is calculated as:

𝐴𝑆

𝑖𝑗

𝐶

𝑖𝑗

𝑤

𝑖

𝑤

𝑗

where Cij represents the observed co-occurrence of items i and j, and wi and wj correspond to their respective

occurrence frequencies. This metric is proportional to the ratio between the observed and the expected number

of co-occurrences under the assumption of statistical independence [13]. Through this methodological innovation,

VOSviewer improves the accuracy of bibliometric mapping, establishing it as a superior tool for revealing the

latent structures that characterise scholarly domains.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

This section deliberates on each of the five research questions of the study.

A. Research Question 1: What are the research trends of copyright and the law according to the year of

publication?

The publication trend on “copyright and the law” between 2005 and 2025 demonstrates a gradual but fluctuating

growth in scholarly attention as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Publication trend by year of publication

The publication pattern from 2005 to 2025 reflects a gradual expansion of scholarly interest in copyright and law,

with several periods of marked fluctuation. Early years such as 2005 to 2011 show comparatively modest output,

which is consistent with the slower global uptake of digital scholarship during that period. The rise from 2012 to

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2014, followed by another increase around 2017 and 2018, suggests that key policy developments and

technological changes likely influenced research activity. The subsequent upward movement from 2019 to 2023

corresponds with intensified debates on digital rights, cross border enforcement, platform liability and the

broadening of open access ecosystems. The noticeable increase in 2023 and the sharp rise in 2024 and 2025

indicate a renewed concentration of academic attention on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence

generated works, algorithmic dissemination of copyrighted content, and the evolving legal frameworks that

govern these developments.

The fluctuations across the two decades appear to be shaped by both regulatory milestones and technological

pressures. Periods of decline, such as those before 2012 and between 2015 and 2016, may reflect intervals in

which fewer major legislative reforms or landmark cases stimulated scholarly responses. Conversely, surges in

publication numbers align closely with global events that prompted legal reconsideration, including revisions to

international copyright treaties, widespread digital transformation during the pandemic years, and heightened

public discourse on data governance. By 2024 and 2025, the substantial increase in publications suggests that

scholars are responding to urgent uncertainties arising from generative technology, automated content production

and the need to reassess the adequacy of traditional copyright doctrines.

B. Research Question 2: What is the top 10 cited articles of copyright and the law?

Produced below in Table 3 is the list of top 10 cited articles on the topic of copyright and law.

TABLE 3: TOP 10 CITED ARTICLES

Authors

Title

Year

Source title

Citation

count

Seville, C.

The internationalisation of copyright law:

Books, buccaneers and the black flag in the

nineteenth century

2006

Book

101

Stodden, V.

The legal framework for reproducible

scientific research: Licensing and copyright

2009

Computing in Science

and Engineering

Cohen, J.E.

The place of the user in copyright law

2005

Fordham Law Review

Hugenholtz, P.B.;

Quintais, J.P.

2021

IIC International Review

of Intellectual Property

and Competition Law

Ramkumar, G.;

Gopalan, G.; Nirmala,

P.; Ramesh, S.;

Tamilselvi, M.

An Effective Copyright Management

Principle using Intelligent Wavelet

Transformation based Water marking

Scheme

2022

Book

Levendowski, A.

How copyright law can fix artificial

intelligence’s implicit bias problem

2018

Washington Law Review

Finck, M.; Moscon, V.

New Forms of Rights Administration and

Digital Rights Management 2.0

2019

IIC International Review

of Intellectual Property

and Competition Law

Alexander, I.

Nineteenth Century

2010

Book

Rosati, E.

Originality in EU copyright: Full

harmonization through case law

2013

Book

Tushnet, R.

Payment in credit: Copyright law and

subcultural creativity

2007

Law and Contemporary

Problems

The citation pattern indicates that foundational historical and doctrinal works continue to exert strong influence

within the field of copyright and law. Seville’s historical analysis of nineteenth century internationalisation

remains the most cited, likely because it provides a comprehensive account of the institutional and geopolitical

forces that shaped modern copyright structures, making it a persistent reference point for contemporary debates

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[14]. Similarly, Cohen’s exploration of user centred perspectives retains relevance because subsequent legal

reforms increasingly recognise participatory and access based interests as integral to copyright’s normative

balance [15]. High citation counts for works by Rosati [16] and Alexander [17] further demonstrate that scholars

continue to rely on detailed historical and jurisprudential examinations to understand the evolution of originality,

authorship and the public interest. These texts offer conceptual clarity and doctrinal grounding, which explains

their sustained prominence.

More recent highly cited works reflect the emergence of technological transformations as central catalysts for

scholarly debate. Stodden’s discussion of reproducible research frameworks continues to attract attention due to

ongoing concerns regarding data governance and licensing in scientific practice [18]. Publications on artificial

intelligence, blockchain and digital watermarking illustrate a shift towards research that interrogates the adequacy

of existing legal frameworks in relation to computational creativity, decentralised rights management and

automated enforcement. For example, Hugenholtz & Quintais [19] and Levendowski [21] examine the

implications of AI assisted generation and algorithmic bias, issues that have intensified as generative systems

become mainstream. The strong performance of these recent works suggests that scholars increasingly prioritise

literature that addresses practical regulatory uncertainties introduced by emerging technologies, while still relying

on established doctrinal analyses to anchor contemporary discussions.

C. Research Question 3: Which is the top 10 countries on copyright and the law based on number of

publications?

The following Figure 3 reveals the top 10 countries based on number of publications in the area of copyright and

the law.

Figure 3. Top 10 countries based on number of publications

The distribution of publications on copyright and the law is led by the United States with 304 publications,

followed by the United Kingdom with 207 publications. These two jurisdictions have long-standing traditions in

intellectual property scholarship and well-established research institutions, which support sustained academic

engagement with copyright issues. Germany records 96 publications, reflecting its strong legal scholarship culture

and its influential role in European copyright harmonisation. Australia with 73 publications and China with 71

publications also contribute significantly. Australia’s active policy discourse on digital copyright reforms and

China’s rapid expansion of academic output in law and technology studies provide a reasonable explanation for

their prominence. India records 63 publications, demonstrating increasing scholarly attention to balancing

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Indonesia registers 58 publications, signalling a growing research interest in copyright governance within

Southeast Asia, particularly as the country modernises its legal and creative sectors. Italy with 53 publications

and Canada with 47 publications reflect the presence of strong academic networks and active participation in

global copyright debates, especially in relation to digital markets and cultural industries. The Netherlands records

38 publications, consistent with its reputation for high-quality legal research and its role as a hub for European

academic collaborations. Together, these publication patterns indicate that countries with advanced legal systems,

robust academic infrastructures, and active participation in international copyright policymaking tend to dominate

scholarship in this field. At the same time, increased contributions from emerging economies illustrate a widening

global engagement with copyright and its regulatory challenges in the digital era.

D. Research Question 4: What are the popular keywords related to copyright and the law?

The following Figure 4 highlights the main keywords used by the authors related to the study of copyright and

the law.

Figure 4: Network visualisation map of keywords’ co-occurrence

Co-occurrence analysis in VOSviewer identifies how frequently author keywords appear together within the same

publications, which allows the researcher to observe thematic linkages and conceptual patterns. Using full

counting means each occurrence of a keyword is counted equally, and applying a minimum threshold of five

ensures only terms with sufficient relevance are retained for mapping. From a total of 1807 keywords, 78 met

this threshold, and the imposition of a minimum cluster size of five produced nine clusters that represent distinct

yet interconnected research domains. This configuration enhances interpretive clarity by reducing noise and

highlighting stable conceptual groupings that reflect the structure of scholarly discourse in the field of copyright

and intellectual property.

The resulting network map contributes to the body of knowledge by revealing the structure, trends, and evolving

areas of inquiry in copyright research. The major keywords reveal a research landscape that is anchored by strong

foundational concepts such as copyright (305) and copyright law (85), supported by broader themes including

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intellectual property (55), artificial intelligence (45), fair use (42), and originality (24). Their prominence

indicates sustained academic attention to regulatory, technological, and normative dimensions of copyright. The

appearance of terms such as authorship (16), Berne Convention (21), copyright infringement (21), and exceptions

and limitations (12) reflect the continuity of traditional debates, while emerging topics such as blockchain (10),

generative AI (8), non-fungible tokens (5), and text and data mining (7) signal evolving concerns within digital

and computational environments. Collectively, these patterns contribute to the body of knowledge by

demonstrating how contemporary scholarship integrates established legal principles with the challenges of

automation, digitisation, and global policy frameworks, thereby illustrating both the stability and dynamism of

the copyright research domain.

E. Research Question 5: What is co-authorship by countries’ collaboration of copyright and the law?

Produced below is Figure 5, depicting the network visualisation mapping of the authors’ co-authorship

collaboration by country.

Figure 5. Network visualisation map of authors’ collaboration by country

Co-authorship by country collaboration analysis in VOSviewer is a bibliometric method used to examine the

patterns and strength of research partnerships between countries. The underlying concept is that when researchers

from different countries co-author publications, it indicates collaborative networks and knowledge exchange at

the international level. This approach helps to identify which countries are central in global research

collaborations, as well as the intensity and structure of these relationships. In this analysis, the full counting

method was applied, meaning that each co-authored publication contributed equally to the counts for all countries

involved. The minimum threshold for inclusion was set at five publications per country, resulting in 44 countries

meeting this criterion out of a total of 99. Additionally, a minimum cluster size of five was used, producing eight

clusters in the network, which represent groups of countries with closely linked collaborative activities.

The findings provide meaningful insights into global research dynamics in the field. Countries like the United

Kingdom (204 publications, 1,312 links), Germany (95 publications, 617 links), and the United States (312

publications, 2,008 links) emerge as major hubs of international collaboration, reflecting strong research

infrastructure, extensive funding, and active participation in global academic networks. European countries such

as France, Netherlands, and Italy also show significant linkages, forming cohesive clusters that indicate regional

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collaboration patterns. Emerging contributors, including China (73 publications) and Indonesia (58 publications),

suggest growing participation from countries with expanding research capacity. These collaboration patterns

enrich the understanding of knowledge dissemination and capacity building across borders, highlighting how

international co-authorship can accelerate the development of a field, promote cross-cultural exchange of ideas,

and foster interdisciplinary approaches. The eight clusters not only visualise the intensity of collaborations but

also reveal regional alliances and strategic partnerships, contributing to the mapping of the global scholarly

landscape.

CONCLUSION

The study set out to map the development of scholarships on copyright and the law over a twenty-year period by

analysing publication patterns, influential works, thematic concentrations, and international collaboration

networks. Through the application of bibliometric techniques to a dataset obtained from Scopus, the study aimed

to answer five core questions concerning publication trends, citation performance, country contributions,

keyword structures, and co-authorship arrangements within this research area.

The analysis shows a consistent expansion of academic interest in copyright and the law, with publication

numbers increasing steadily and reaching their highest levels in the most recent years. This pattern reflects both

the growing complexity of copyright governance and the influence of technological advancements, particularly

digital dissemination and artificial intelligence. Highly cited works include not only journal articles but also books

and book chapters, indicating that foundational historical studies and doctrinal analyses continue to shape

discourse in this field. At the same time, more recent influential publications highlight emerging concerns such

as AI-assisted creativity, algorithmic bias, digital rights management, and the regulation of blockchain systems,

demonstrating a shift toward technologically focused scholarship.

The findings also identify substantial contributions from countries with established academic infrastructures, with

the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany emerging as central nodes in global knowledge production.

Keyword co-occurrence mapping produced nine thematic clusters, illustrating the breadth of research themes

ranging from traditional legal principles to contemporary issues tied to digital transformation. The co-authorship

analysis further reveals extensive cross-border collaboration, with eight clusters indicating active international

engagement and the exchange of ideas across regions.

The study contributes to the broader literature by offering a structured overview of how copyright scholarship

has evolved in both doctrinal and technological dimensions. Such insights may support policy formulation, guide

legal education, and inform scholarly priorities, especially in areas where technological developments challenge

conventional legal frameworks. Practical relevance arises from the identification of themes that increasingly

influence legislative debates, enforcement strategies, and the governance of creative content in digital

environments.

Several limitations should be noted. The analysis is constrained by reliance on a single database and by the fact

that indexing practices and coverage criteria may differ across sources. Language limitations in the dataset also

affect representativeness. Future studies could broaden the scope by incorporating additional databases,

examining non-English literature, or conducting thematic evolution studies to observe how specific ideas emerge

and transform over time. This study is limited by its reliance on Scopus indexing, which may not capture relevant

publications dispersed across regional journals or interdisciplinary outlets. The use of citation counts also reflects

visibility rather than substantive influence, which may skew interpretations of research significance. Future

studies should integrate multiple databases, apply qualitative content analysis to complement quantitative

indicators, and incorporate network analytics that map institutional and jurisdictional collaborations. Expanding

the temporal scope and including non-English publications will strengthen the representation of global

scholarship on copyright and law, particularly from emerging economies and diverse legal traditions.

Actionable policy measures in this area should prioritise stronger interoperability between copyright legislation

and emerging digital governance frameworks. Regulators should establish clearer guidelines on the use of

copyrighted materials in data driven environments, supported by standardised procedures for text and data mining

in research and innovation sectors. Policy makers should also invest in national repositories that promote

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transparent rights management to reduce transactional uncertainty. Regular monitoring of technological

developments through multi stakeholder committees will enable iterative policy adjustments. Capacity building

for enforcement agencies and judicial officers is essential to ensure consistent application of copyright norms in

an evolving digital landscape.

Overall, the study demonstrates the usefulness of bibliometric approaches in capturing the intellectual structure,

research priorities, and global linkages surrounding copyright and the law. Such mapping provides a clearer

understanding of how the field has progressed and highlights areas where continued inquiry will be necessary as

technological, regulatory, and societal contexts continue to change.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This article is written based on the research supported by Ministry of Higher Education (KPT/MoHE) of Malaysia

through Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2018/ SSI10/UUM/03/1). The author would like to

express gratitude to Associate Professor Dr. Ani Munirah Mohamad and Dr. ‘Ain Husna Mohd Arshad for

providing guidance and insights in completing this paper, and to Universiti Utara Malaysia for the resources

necessary in finalising this paper.

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