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@article{185281,
        author = {Cybel N. Ekpa},
        title = {The Splinternet's Shadow: Intellectual Property and Innovation in an Era of Ascendant Digital Sovereignty},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {5},
        pages = {1274-1282},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=185281},
        abstract = {The intersection of digital sovereignty and intellectual property rights presents a formidable challenge to the global technology landscape. As nations assert sovereign control over data, digital infrastructure, and online ecosystems, established intellectual property frameworks face significant strain. This paper examines the tension between national digital sovereignty initiatives and the inherently global nature of innovation. Through a comparative analysis of legal and policy frameworks in the European Union, the United States, China, and India, it identifies key areas of conflict, including data localization mandates, technology transfer requirements, the fragmentation of patent regimes, and jurisdictional disputes. While digital sovereignty measures are often enacted to protect national security and citizen privacy, they risk creating barriers to innovation, increasing compliance costs, and fragmenting global technology markets. This paper proposes a framework for balanced governance that respects national sovereignty while preserving the collaborative ecosystem essential for technological advancement. This framework emphasizes harmonized standards, reciprocal international agreements, and flexible regulatory mechanisms capable of adapting to rapid technological change. The future of global technology markets may depend on developing new models of governance that reconcile legitimate national interests with the transnational cooperation required for sustained innovation and economic development.},
        keywords = {},
        month = {October},
        }