Intellectual property is a legal protection granted to certain producers of new knowledge (authors, inventors...) holding exclusive rights over the exploitation of their creations (works, inventions...). As information and communication technologies become increasingly widespread and the practice of sharing (content or expertise) common, the principle of exclusivity and its effectiveness are continually challenged in theory and in fact. This article recalls the origins of intellectual property and the debates surrounding it; subsequently, it takes into account the case of copyright protection with respect to digital technologies.