From Conceptualization to Regulation: Deconstructing Cyberspace and Tracing the Evolution of Its Legislation

Through the application of the scientometric method, this study visualizes the research literature on cyberspace utilizing the scientific knowledge graph generated by CiteSpace (5.7.R5) and delves into its multi-layered concept. Subsequently, this study outlines the legislative trajectory of cyberspace while concentrating on its current research frontiers and hotspots. The aim is to explore the knowledge bases, current development status and dynamic trends related to cyberspace and its legislation. This study posits that the understanding of what cyberspace is (conceptualization) fundamentally shapes what it ought to be (legislation/regulation). Cyberspace can be conceptualized as a fifth-dimensional strategic domain that is constructed through technology, propelled by data, and imbued with meaning through human activities – comparable to sea, land, air, and outer space – featuring virtuality, interactivity and dynamic evolution. The conceptual deconstruction of cyberspace suggests that its legislation is supposed to be simultaneously built upon a technical infrastructure, a social domain, as well as an economic and political arena. By comprehending both the conceptualization of cyberspace and its legislative evolution, the uncharted and contentious fields that lie ahead can be better equipped by human beings in the future – enabling humanity to foster a harmonious cyberspace environment that is innovative yet just, as well as secure yet free.