信息许可协议的效力寻求自由与限制之间的合理边界

信息在经济活动中的价值日益彰显,但现有的知识产权法没有给予信息恰当的定位,信息许可协议成为信息生产者价值实现的主要甚至唯一的方式。知识产权法定主义者认为,超越知识产权法定边界的信息许可协议无效。另一些学者则主张尊重合同自由,法定知识产权只是协议的模版和缺省规则。信息许可协议是一把双刃剑,在知识产权出现类型化不足时,可以有效填补知识产权的缝隙,但借助协议任意创设和扩张知识产权,则将侵蚀公共领域。必须为信息许可协议划定一个边界,在遵循合同法、竞争法等一般原则基础上,在信息产品的可替代性、信息使用者的类型、信息使用目的以及限制性条款的影响等具体环节作出理性的判断。

On the Effectiveness of Information Licensing To figure out boundaries between freedom and restrictions

Information plays an increasingly important role in modern economic life.However,information can not be oriented properly in the existing Intellectual Property law.Information licensing is the chief,and sometimes the only means of protection.A number of the clauses of the Intellectual Property insist the information licensing is unenforceable if it tries to go beyond the borders defined by the Intellectual Property law.Other scholars however,maintain that freedom of contract ought to be respected.The Intellectual Property law provides model and default rules.Information licensing is a double-edged sword.It fills up the loopholes of the Intellectual Property law,while,at the same time,arbitrary creation and expansion of intellectual property rights erode the public domain.Information Licensing must be a boundary.In complying with general principles of contract law and competition law,we should make rational judgments on the information product substitutability,the type of information users,as well as the impact of restrictive clauses.