Copyright in social media: challenges of digital content protection and prospects for legislative development in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The development of social media has transformed the ways digital content is created and distributed, creating new challenges for copyright law. In the digital environment, users simultaneously act as creators, distributors, and consumers of content, while copyright protection increasingly depends not only on national legislation but also on platform rules and user practices. This study aims to examine copyright protection challenges in social media within the context of the Republic of Kazakhstan, focusing on the interaction between legal regulation, platform governance, and user behavior. The study applies literature review, comparative legal analysis, and descriptive statistics. The empirical part is based on an online survey of social media users. The findings reveal a significant gap between formal copyright requirements and actual user behavior in digital environments. Many users demonstrate limited awareness of the legal consequences of using thirdparty content and rely more on platform-based tools than formal legal mechanisms. Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, and algorithmic moderation increasingly influence access to and distribution of online content. The study concludes that improving copyright protection in Kazakhstan requires not only legislative modernization but also greater legal awareness among users and a clearer understanding of the role of digital platforms in regulating online content.