计算机软件的质量瑕疵担保责任、产品责任——以诺顿误杀案为切入视角

Quality Warranty and Product Liability of Computer Software

诺顿软件误杀案导致中国百万余台电脑瘫痪。受损用户可依质量瑕疵担保责任与产品责任两种不同途径索赔。前者之核心在于考察计算机软件许可协议的法律适用,及免责条款的效力。对于软件许可权人的瑕疵担保责任我国法律虽无直接规定,但依据相关民法原理与公平、效率的法理考量,及对相关法律制度的参照适用,软件的许可权人应当对被许可人承担质量瑕疵担保责任;后者之核心在于考察本案的相关情形是否符合产品责任的构成要件及其责任范围。当质量瑕疵担保责任与产品责任发生竞合,请求权人可以择一行使其权利。

The Norton Antivirus malfunction case has caused millions of computers in China broken down.The victims can claim damages via two different cause of actions—quality warranty and product liability.The former focuses on consideration of application of laws to the software license agreement and validity of disclaimer clauses.The latter focuses on whether the scenarios of this case can meet the constitutive elements of product liability and the liability scope.When the two kinds of liabilities concur,the claimant can choose one to exercise his/her rights.