再論著作權的權利耗盡原則之理論架構——以影視串流平臺為中心

Revisiting the Theoretical Framework of Exhaustion Doctrine in Copyright with a Focus on the Video Streaming Platforms

隨著家用影視娛樂市場逐漸被串流平臺所稱霸，實體視聽著作物市場日漸式微，數位著作授權契約走向全球規模化並由少數平臺所掌持，這些趨勢似乎頗讓人憂心。著作權人順應串流平臺之趨勢，善用授權契約進一步規避權利耗盡原則的適用，在當今多數著作皆以無形的數位媒介發行的趨勢下，權利耗盡原則既已過時，其所建構的著作次級市場亦恐終將消失。不同於國內多數學者著重於權利耗盡原則之實務判決評析、法律文字解釋，以及科技的法律評價，本文概括分類美國與歐盟體系下之著名5大實務判決，將之分為2類，並以此分類回顧國內外文獻，進而提出批評。接著，本文立於實務判決與學術論著之上，建構權利耗盡原則的理論架構，輔以相關論點之評析，聚焦於權利耗盡原則的非經濟價值的考量。本文以當代影視串流平臺為例，論述串流平臺的商業模式如何提升或減損權利耗盡原則所欲追求的經濟與非經濟價值，並提出潛在的法律困境與可能的解套方式。本文認為，權利耗盡原則所欲維護的非經濟價值不應被忽視。正因權利耗盡原則無從適用主流的影視串流平臺，著作權法更應藉由合理使用和其他相配套的法規補足該原則所欲維護的公益價值，如文化保存、隱私保護、民主價值的維護，以及鼓勵創新與競爭。

As video streaming platforms dominate the home entertainment market, it is concerning that the market for tangible audiovisual copyrighted works is shrinking and that the trend of licensing agreements of digital works is growing to the global scale. It raises greater concern that copyright owners follow this trend and circumvent the application of the exhaustion doctrine by using licensing agreements which have been reinforced by only a few streaming platform companies. As most of the works are now published in intangible and digital forms, the exhaustion doctrine might be increasingly obsolete. Thus, the secondary markets for copyrighted works may soon disappear.
Unlike most scholars in Taiwan focusing on the review of court cases, doctrinal reading of laws, and the analysis of technology complexities in legal terms, this Article proposes a legal framework to revisit the core theories underpinning the exhaustion doctrine. It classifies the five landmark cases from the U.S. and E.U. into two categories. Based on this categorization, it reviews the current literature and policy suggestions and further raises the legal questions that the suggestions may pose. Built on the case studies and literature review, this Article proposes a theoretical framework for the exhaustion doctrine, provides an examination of each argument, and accordingly directs its attention to the non-economic concerns of the doctrine. Furthermore, this Article uses video streaming platforms as a case study and reveals how the business models of streaming platforms either increase or decrease the economic and non-economic values preserved by the exhaustion doctrine. This context shows that the loss of the non-economic values will have a negative impact on the society. The impact further illustrates how the video streaming service serves as a compelling example for advocating reform of the doctrine. Potential legal barriers and possible solutions are thus presented and proposed.
This Article concludes that the non-economic values promoted by the doctrine have long been overlooked and should warrant greater attention. It is because the doctrine does not apply to the mainstream video streaming platforms, copyright law should, by means of fair use or other regulatory mechanisms, protect the public interests and values that the doctrine aims to promote, such as cultural preservation, privacy protection, democratic value, innovation, and competition.