Creative Commons Licences as a Framework for Balancing Intellectual Property Rights and Knowledge Accessibility in the Digital Environment: A Legal and Ethical Perspective

This study critically examines the legal, ethical, and practical implications of Creative Commons (CC) licences as an evolving mechanism for reconciling intellectual property rights (IPR) with the principles of open access and public knowledge dissemination in the digital era.It explores the theoretical underpinnings and historical evolution of the CC framework, situating it within the broader landscape of copyright reform and digital innovation.The paper analyses how CC licences-ranging from the most restrictive to fully open variants-empower authors to determine the conditions under which their works can be used, modified, or distributed.By integrating comparative legal analysis and empirical insights from Arab jurisdictions, this research investigates how CC licences function as complementary instruments to traditional copyright systems rather than replacements thereof.It also highlights their contribution to promoting academic collaboration, innovation, and cultural exchange in digital environments.Special attention is given to the legal infrastructures supporting CC adoption in Arab countries, challenges of awareness and enforcement, and the role of digital platforms in enabling equitable access to intellectual creations.The findings underscore that Creative Commons licences represent a hybrid legal model that harmonizes protection with openness, ensuring that intellectual property continues to serve both individual authors and the collective good.In this sense, CC licences foster an ethical ecosystem where creativity, sharing, and legal certainty coexist, ultimately contributing to sustainable digital development and democratized knowledge access.