Personal Data Protection in the Era of Digital Surveillance: A Bibliometric Analysis of Scientific Production (2014–2024)

Abstract

In today’s digital era, the protection of personal data has become a pressing challenge in the face of emerging surveillance technologies that threaten fundamental rights and citizens' informational autonomy. The widespread implementation of tracking systems, artificial intelligence, and mass monitoring raises urgent questions about privacy, regulation, and the control of personal information. In this context, the aim of this article is to identify the scientific production published between 2014 and 2024 related to the protection of personal data within the framework of digital surveillance. A bibliometric review study was conducted using the Scopus database, analyzing indicators of productivity, impact, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic, geographic, and institutional distribution. The results reveal an interdisciplinary field, heavily concentrated in Global North countries, with publication peaks driven by specific events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the implementation of the GDPR. Gaps were also identified in the representation of Global South regions and in the critical analysis of part of the literature. The study concludes that there is a need strengthen international cooperation and to develop comprehensive regulatory frameworks to effectively safeguard privacy in digitized environments.