论版权保护与言论自由的平衡与冲突--从Eldred v.Ashcroft案看美国版权扩张法案(CTEA)对宪法第一修正案的冲击

版权法的立法目的是促进科学和文化的进步,这最终有利于言论自由权利的行使,而在版权保护过程中则对言论自由产生了一定的限制.由于版权是一种法定权利,它对于作为自然权利的言论自由的限制,必须能够促进更加重要的公众利益才具有正当性.1998年CTEA延长20年版权保护期限的立法,不但不能够促进更加重要的公众利益,反而增加了公众的负担,损害公众言论自由的权利,因此,它违背了宪法中知识产权条款的立法原则,也侵害了宪法第一修正案保护言论自由的精神.

Copyright Protection and Freedom of Speech --CTEA''''s Challenge to the First Amendment, from Eldred v. Ashcroft Angle

Copyright Law is established to promote the progress in sciences. It helps to exercise freedom of speech. However, copyright also limits the freedom of speech in some degree. Thus, as a statutory right, the copyright law is legitimate only if it promotes the more important public interests. CTEA in 1998, which extended the term of copyright for more 20 years, does nothing good to promote the more important public interests. It makes public's burden heavier and does harm to public's right of freedom of speech. Therefore, it disobeys the legislative principle of the copyright and patent clause in constitution, and violates the spirit of protecting freedom of speech in the First Amendment of Constitution.