数字版权管理措施的法律地位与限度

Legal Status and Limits of Digital Rights Management Measures

数字版权管理措施是随着技术发展出现的数字作品著作权人保护自身权益的有效途径,但数字版权管理措施存在着可能侵害用户信息安全和隐私权、与合理使用制度相冲突的不足,为达到著作权人与用户的利益平衡,促进这一新型知识产权保障方式的健康发展,首先需要明确其法律地位,并在此基础上合理界定其限度,通过法理分析可知其本质是民法上自力救济措施在新技术条件下的体现,具有权利公示方式与权利保护措施两方面的作用。但数字版权管理措施存在着自力救济固有的可能带来潜在侵权的弊端,建议通过立法明确其合法地位、可以采取的形式、范围与限度等,明令禁止破坏性手段进行版权自我保护,尤其是完善相关法律责任的规定,以保障数字作品用户的合法权益。

Digital Rights Management is an effective protecting approach for the copyright owners brought by the technology development. The essence of DRM is the self-relief measure of civil law under new technological conditions, which could publicize copyrights and protect them. However, DRM has the defections that it may invade customers＇ information safety and privacy, while conflicting with copyright limitation system, too. In order to reach the balance between copyrights owners＇ and customers＇ interests, it was suggested to clarify the DRM ＇s legitimate status, its adaptable form, scope and boundary, and to perfect related legal responsibilities regulations through legislation.