Copyright dispute resolution in the digital age: challenges and alternatives for India’s legal system
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62452/qjm83y94Keywords:
Copyright law, dispute resolution, alternative dispute resolution, online dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration, , intellectual property rightsAbstract
Digital technologies have profoundly transformed the production, distribution, and dissemination of copyrighted works, while simultaneously exposing the limitations of traditional judicial enforcement mechanisms. Copyright owners increasingly face infringements that can occur rapidly and across multiple jurisdictions, whereas conventional litigation is often time-consuming, costly, procedurally complex, and insufficiently responsive to the dynamics of the digital environment. In this context, the growing acceptance of alternative dispute resolution in India, together with the more recent development of online dispute resolution, represents a pragmatic response to existing enforcement challenges. However, this transition remains uneven. Legal uncertainty regarding the arbitrability of copyright disputes, inconsistent judicial approaches, limited institutional capacity, and insufficient technological infrastructure continue to restrict the effective use of these mechanisms. This study examines the existing legal and institutional framework for copyright dispute resolution in India and incorporates a comparative analysis to identify its principal limitations and opportunities for reform. The findings indicate that, without clearer legislative guidance, stronger institutional mechanisms, and greater investment in technologically enabled dispute-resolution platforms, copyright owners will continue to face significant difficulties in obtaining timely, accessible, and effective remedies in the digital environment.
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