网络的法律地位:行政确认与《民法典》法律界定

网络是人类物质与精神生活的基础性依托,也是法律关系存在条件、存在空间和法律制度变化的重要影响因素。在当下,网络的法律地位缺乏基础性研究。《民法典》的"网络"有四种意指:与报刊并列作为媒体、作为虚拟财产存在空间、作为包含互联网的信息渠道和在线服务平台。《民法典》把网络与报刊并列为媒体一部分,是在具有高位阶法律效力成文法中第一次确认了网络与媒体的关系,确定了网络可以是涉及名誉权纠纷的民事主体,能够享受权利承担义务的网络是有确定责任主体和法定代表人的网络信息服务者。行政法规、部门规章、政策文件和管理制度以五种区分方式对网络的媒体属性部分进行了具有一定法律效力的行政确认,比《民法典》对网络媒体属性部分的界定更为精确。《民法典》中"网络"的法律地位分为作为民事主体、作为法律关系存在空间、作为法律信息公开渠道、作为法律关系特殊要素四种情况,体现了其权利义务的相应程度。

The Legal Status of Network:Administrative Confirmation and the Legal Definition in Civil Code

Network is the basic support of human material and spiritual life,and also an important factor influencing the existence condition,existence space and changes in the legal system.However,the legal status of network lacks fundamental research.The term"network"in the Civil Code has four meanings:as a part of media alongside with newspapers,as a existence space of virtual property,as an information channel containing the Internet and as an online service platform.The Civil Code lists the network together with the newspaper as a part of the media,which is the first time to confirm the relationship between the network and the media in the statute law with higher legal effect,determining that the network can be the civil subject involved in the dispute of reputation right.The network that can enjoy the rights and undertake the obligations is a network information service provider with definite responsibility subject and legal representative.Administrative regulations,departmental rules,policy documents and management systems have made administrative confirmation of the network attribute in five different ways,which is more precise than the definition the Civil Code has made on the network attribute.In the Civil Code,the legal status of"network"can be divided into four categories:as a civil subject,as a space for legal relations,as a channel for the disclosure of legal information,and as a special element of legal relations,which reflect the corresponding degree of its rights and obligations.