摄影作品独创性认定的困境与对策

The Dilemma and Countermeasures for the Determination of Originality of Photographic Works

智能设备的普及促进了摄影作品的普遍化,但与此同时,我国司法实务在摄影作品独创性的认定上却存在现实障碍,表面上只是阻碍摄影行业的创新性发展,实质上是对著作权法立法宗旨的背离。在厘清摄影作品独创性认定司法现状的基础上,指出实务中存在对摄影作品独创性认定的重要性认识不足问题,导致法官在独创性认定标准上具有模糊性、认定标准低、认定主要标准不当。明确应当在立法上区分“摄影作品”和“普通作品”,根据独创性程度进行不同强度的保护,廓清摄影作品独创性的构成要素,旨在减少摄影作品著作权的滥诉发生率,推进网络时代摄影作品的正向发展。

The popularization of smart devices has promoted the universalization of photographic works, but at the same time, there are practical obstacles in China’s judicial practice in the determination of the originality of photographic works, which on the surface only hinders the innovative development of the photography industry, and in essence deviates from the legislative purpose of the Copyright Law. On the basis of clarifying the judicial status quo of the determination of originality of photographic works, it is pointed out that there is insufficient understanding of the importance of the determination of originality of photographic works in practice, resulting in judges having ambiguity in the determination of originality, low recognition standards, and improper identification of the main standards. It is clear that “photographic works” and “ordinary works” should be distinguished in legislation, and different intensities of protection should be carried out according to the degree of originality, so as to clarify the constituent elements of the originality of photographic works, aiming to reduce the incidence of abusive litigation of copyright in photographic works and promote the positive development of photographic works in the Internet era.