网络平台中格式条款单方变更之规范审查机制——以爱奇艺“超前点播案”为切入点

Regulatory Review Mechanism for Unilateral Alteration of Standard Terms on Network Platform:Taking the "Case of Prior Request for Play" of iQIYI as a Starting Point

在网络平台中,网络服务提供方和使用方之间的权利义务关系多以格式性的服务协议来确定,提供方嗣后又常依据自身经营需要等原因而单方面改变先前确定的服务协议。这虽有实践之必要,却也带来规范上的问题,即如何对其做规范性审查。爱奇艺"超前点播案"的裁判说理中对此做了区分判断。因循这种区分的逻辑,对格式条款变更的规范审查可构建起可能与效力两阶层机制,前者针对"单方变更条款",以控制性要件符合性与异常性为审查要点;后者针对实际变更行为,在实体面根据变更类型分别审查变更内容是否符合一般相对人的利益以及是否具备合理性,而在程序面审查变更方的公示是否充分以及是否为相对方提供必要的同意和退出机制。

On the network platform,the relationship of duties and obligations between the network service supplier and user are stipulated in the form of standard agreement.After the agreement is reached,the supplier would usually alter unilaterally the previously-reached agreement according to its operation needs.Although there are some practical needs for the alteration,it will results in a regulating problem,i.e.how to make regulatory review over it.In the hearing and awarding of the"case of prior request for play"of iQIYI,how to distinguish the practical needs from regulating problem has been clarified.By following such a distinguishing logic,regulatory review over the alteration of standard terms may establish two mechanisms of possibility and validity.The former one aims at the"unilaterally altered terms",which focuses on such key points of reviewing as normality and abnormality of the controlling conditions.The latter aims at the action of actual alteration,which separately reviews,from the respect of entity,whether the altered content is in conformity with general alteration-receiving parties’interests and whither it contains rationality,and reviews,from the respect of procedures,whether the notification made by the alteration-making party is sufficient and whether the said party provide the alteration-receiving parties with necessary mechanisms of consent and exit.