从引人误认到引人困惑:经营者新型不当信息行为及其规制

From Mistaking to Puzzling:New Types of Operator's Improper Information Action and Its Regulation

消费者困惑是由信息因素导致的、消费者在购买决策准备阶段出现的疑虑、不安的消极心理。造成消费者困惑的基本原因是信息过度供给和有效信息不足。本质上,消费者困惑就是作为生物个体的消费者的认知能力的有限性与商品/服务信息的无限和无序之间的矛盾。消费者困惑不仅会对消费者个人权益及其实现造成影响,还会因导致消费者决策偏差而损及市场机制;并会因导致消费者迟延决策乃至回避决策而抑制社会整体消费。市场经济的发达、互联网时代的到来,以及营销理论与实践的飞速发展是消费者困惑问题普遍化的社会基础;制造信息混乱、表述信息模糊、潜藏关键信息三类不当信息行为是引致消费者困惑的直接原因。既有欺诈禁止和虚假宣传禁止制度难以规制引致消费者困惑的行为。系统治理应明确经营者信息行为到达主义、真确原则和充要原则,完善现行相关法治各环节,并构筑多维的配套治理措施。治理引致消费者困惑行为实际上是对经营活动的深度规制,事关经营者经营自由和商业言论自由,应审慎确定规制立场与策略。

Consumer confusion is the doubtful,uneasy and negative psychological condition of consumers during the purchase decision preparation stage,caused by information factors.The fundamental reasons on consumer confusion lie on information overload and information insufficiency.In essence,consumer confusion comes from the contradiction between the limitation of the cognitive ability of human being and the infiniteness and disordering of goods and services information.Consumer confusion will not only affect consumer rights and interests,but also damage market mechanism through deviating consumer decision making.Besides,it can cause consumers to delay their decisions and even avoid decision,which will suppress the whole society consumption.The advancement of market economy,the advent of Internet Era,and the rapid development of marketing theory and practice are the social foundations of the generalization of consumer confusion problem.Information chaos,fuzzy expression and key information hiding are three improper practices causing consumer to confusion directly.Cheating prohibition system and false misleading advertising prohibition system can＇t regulate those unfair practices.We should take Information Arrival,Information Truth Clear and Information Sufficient Necessary as principles of operator information obligation.It＇s also necessary to improve existing relevant rules and construct multi-dimensional supporting measures.Actually,regulation on unfair practices leading to consumer confusion is a type of deep regulation on business activities.It is related with operation freedom and commercial speech freedom.We should be careful and well-advised on regulation position and strategy determination.