美国法上虚假广告民事责任研究

A Study on the Civil Liability of False Advertising under American Laws

广告主发布虚假信息或误导信息应当承担民事责任。原告可以向被告主张合同法上的违约责任,也可以主张欺诈或过失侵权或要求被告承担严格责任。通过区分虚假广告和误导广告,区分实际欺骗和欺骗的可能性,通过实质性的要求,区分经营者和消费者,美国法院确立了原告的不同举证责任,赋予权利主体不同的救济方式。同时准许广告主提出抗辩事由,合理地平衡了相关各方的利益。

Advertisers shall assume civil liability for publishing false or misleading informa- tion. A plaintiff can demand the defendant to bear the liability for breach of contract under contract law, or for fraud or negligent torts, or claim that the defendant should assume strict liability. American courts have established different thresholds concerning the burden of proof on the plaintiff and made various remedies available to the plaintiff by distinguishing false advertising from misleading advertising, actual deception from the possibility to de- ceive, and, through substantive requirements, business operators from consumers. At the same time, American courts have properly balanced the interests of the parties concerned by allowing the advertisers to put forward their legal defenses.