誠信原則：個人信息保護與利用平衡的信任路徑

如何平衡個人信息保護與利用，是數字時代的核心議題之一。《個人信息保護法》在“合法、正當、必要原則”外增設“誠信原則”，開闢了“基於誠信的平衡路徑”。該路徑有效融合“場景機制”，彌補“比例機制”和“風險機制”的立法缺憾，化解了數字信任困境。作為一般條款，誠信原則可具體化為三類次級機制：“補充處理者義務的誠信機制”對處理者苛以不得欺詐、操縱以及公平對待個體的概括義務；“限制信息主體權利的誠信機制”禁止個體濫用其在信息處理活動中的權利，損害他人合法權益；“平衡信息主體與處理者利益的誠信機制”一方面要求國家機關處理者承擔忠實、勤勉的信義義務，另一方面引入正當利益條款，以調和私主體處理者和個體的利益衝突。作為授予自由裁量權的空白委任狀，誠信原則亦要求執法者、司法者秉持誠信，以個人信息保護與利用平衡為宗旨，妥當解釋法律規範、填補法律漏洞，最終鑄就原則與規則相互融貫的個人信息柔性法治秩序。

One core topic in this digital age is how to balance between protection and utilization of personal information. The Personal Information Protection Law adds the principle of good faith to the principle of legality, legitimacy and necessity, creating a balanced path based on good faith. This path effectively integrates the “ context-based approach” to make up for the shortcomings of the “proportionality-based approach”and“risk-based approach”, and solves the digital trust deficit. The principle of good faith can be categorized into the following three sub-mechanisms. First, “good faith mechanism to supplement the obligations of controllers” imposes a general obligation on controllers not to defraud, manipulate and treat individuals fairly. Second, “good faith mechanism to limit the rights of information subjects” prohibits individuals from abusing their rights in information processing activities to the detriment of rights of others. Third, “integrity mechanism to balance the interests of information subjects and processors” requires state organs to assume the fiduciary duty of faithfulness and diligence, and introduces a legitimate interest clause to reconcile the conflicting interests of private controllers and individuals. As a carte blanche of appointment granting discretion, the principle of good faith requires that law enforcers and judicial personnel should also uphold good faith, balance between personal information protection and utilization as the purpose, properly interpret legal rules, fill legal loopholes, and finally implement the flexible rule of law order for personal information protection based on the rules-principle model.