涉众型网络谣言刑事治理的规范逻辑与责任边界

Normative Logic and Boundaries of Responsibility in the Criminal Governance of Internet Rumors Related to the Public

网络谣言的实质内涵是“未经证实”,而非必然虚假。在此基础上,涉众型网络谣言其实同时具有言论表达的积极建构性与公共秩序的消极侵蚀性两种潜在效能。因此,在运用刑事手段治理涉众型网络谣言时,基本的规范逻辑在于维持社会保护与言论自由之间的动态平衡,谨防过度化的刑事治理消解言论自由的应然空间。为了在言论自由与刑事犯罪之间预留合理的缓冲空间,应当在形式解释论的指引下严格限制寻衅滋事罪的适用,并通过对“虚假信息”的二元限定、“险情、疫情、灾情、警情”的范围限定、“严重扰乱社会秩序”的后果限缩来重构编造、故意传播虚假信息罪的规制范围。

The essence of online rumors is that they are“unconfirmed”rather than necessarily false. On this basis,internet rumors related to public have two potential functions:the positive constructive nature of speech expression and the negative infringement of public order. Therefore,the basic normative logic of the use of criminal means to control online rumors related to public is to maintain a dynamic balance between social protection and freedom of expression,and to prevent excessive criminal control from dissipating the natural space of freedom of expression. In order to preserve a reasonable buffer space between freedom of expression and criminal offenses,the application of the crime of provocation should be strictly limited under the guidance of the theory of formal interpretation,and the scope of regulation of the crime of fabrication and intentional dissemination of false information should be reconstructed through the interpretation of the nature,object and consequences.