复活僵尸法条:个人信息匿名化制度的再造

Resurrection of the Zombie Clause:The Reformation of the Personal Information Anonymization System

《个人信息保护法》第4条第1款后段将“匿名化信息”排除在个人信息之外,可称为意在数据流通利用的“匿名化条款”。但实施以来,该条款始终存而不用,以至于沦为僵尸法条,成为数据要素市场的最大窒碍之一。既有理论尽管已经充分认识到其病因在于零风险匿名化的预设,但由于缺乏对可接受风险的精确刻画和系统性的规范指引,有解释力而无立起沉疴之力。通过将匿名化信息再利用的风险类型化为系统风险、操作风险、剩余风险,基于匿名化设计的“推定匿名”、基于匿名化条款解释的“判定匿名”、基于匿名化合规的“信任匿名”的同心圆结构渐次形成,不但分别化解了个人信息处理者、监管机构、用户的三重忧虑,而且融技术与法律、过程与结果、场景与系统、数据价值与个人权益于一炉。借此,匿名化条款得以复活,一套操作性和规范性兼备的中国匿名化制度亦由此涅槃重生。

The Article 4,Paragraph 1 of Personal Information Protection Law excludes anonymized information from the category of personal information,which is known as the“anonymization clause”aimed at data circulation and utilization.However,after more than two years of implementation,the anonymization clause has hardly been used and has become a“zombie clause”,one of the biggest obstacles to the data element market.Although existing theories have fully recognized the root cause of the problem lies in the preset of zero-risk anonymization,due to the lack of precise portrayal of acceptable risks and systematic normative guidance,they are explanatory but not effective in solving the problem.By categorizing the risks of reusing anonymized information into systemic risks,operational risks,and residual risks,a concentric circle structure of“presumed anonymity”based on anonymization design,“determined anonymity”based on the interpretation of anonymization clauses,and“trusted anonymity”based on anonymization compliance has gradually formed.This not only resolves the triple concerns of personal information handlers,regulatory agencies and users,but also integrates technology and law,process and result,scenario and system,and data value and personal rights and interests.Thereby,the anonymization clause is revitalized,and a Chinese anonymization system with both operability and normativity is reborn from the ashes.