DIGITAL BIOPIRACY: GENETIC DATA, CLOUD DATABASES, AND THE RISE OF INVISIBLE APPROPRIATION

AUTHOR – ADITI RAJ, STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY, PATNA

BEST CITATION – ADITI RAJ, DIGITAL BIOPIRACY: GENETIC DATA, CLOUD DATABASES, AND THE RISE OF INVISIBLE APPROPRIATION, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 5 (13) OF 2025, PG. 533-538, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Abstract

The digitization of genetic information has revolutionized biological research and global innovation but has also given rise to a new and less visible form of exploitation—digital biopiracy. Unlike traditional biopiracy, which involves the physical appropriation of biological materials, digital biopiracy exploits genetic sequences and traditional knowledge stored in cloud databases, often without authorization, compensation, or recognition. The capacity to download, replicate, and modify genetic data across borders has created profound legal, ethical, and jurisdictional dilemmas. This paper explores the evolution of digital biopiracy, the gaps in existing international legal frameworks such as the TRIPS Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Nagoya Protocol, and the tension between open-access scientific data and sovereign rights over genetic resources. It further examines the role of emerging technologies—artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain—in reshaping governance and offers policy recommendations for equitable, transparent, and ethically responsible digital genetic data management.

Keywords – Digital Biopiracy, Genetic Data, Intellectual Property Rights, Cloud Databases, Artificial Intelligence, Biodiversity Governance, Data Sovereignty, Biotechnology, Ethical Governance, Global IP Law