Author(s): Sandeep Kumar Nayak

Abstract: Between 2020 and 2026, the landscape of cyber law underwent a fundamental paradigm shift, transitioning from fragmented national policies toward integrated, legally binding international frameworks. Driven by the COVID-19 pandemic's digital acceleration and the emergence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), this period witnessed the adoption of the first United Nations Cybercrime Convention and a decisive global move toward "digital sovereignty." Drawing on a cross-jurisdictional analysis of the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom, this paper examines critical legislative milestones including the EU Cyber Solidarity Act, the US NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0, and South Africa's Cybercrimes Act alongside persistent challenges such as jurisdictional creep, the privacy-security paradox, and AI governance gaps. The paper argues that while international legal coordination has advanced significantly, the tension between national sovereignty and the borderless nature of cyber threats remains the central challenge for the next decade of digital law.

DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.33545/26633582.2026.v8.i2a.275

Pages: 38-47 | Views: 16 | Downloads: 11

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