公众人物理论与真实恶意规则之检讨  

Review on the Theory of Public Figure and Actual Malice Rule

作　　者：郑晓剑[1] 

机构地区：[1]厦门大学法学院

出　　处：《比较法研究》2015年第5期60-75,共16页Journal of Comparative Law

基　　金：笔者主持的福建省社会科学规划项目"侵权责任能力制度原理及功能研究"(项目号:2014C140);中央高校基本科研业务费项目"法典化背景下民事行为能力制度立法研究"(项目号:T2013221005)的阶段性成果

摘　　要：近年来,美国法上的公众人物理论及真实恶意规则对我国理论界和实务界产生了深刻影响,这种现象是否合理,值得反思。真实恶意规则的适用主体包括公务员和公众人物。该规则源自于普通法上的诽谤规则难于有效保护言论自由和新闻自由的制度背景,诞生于民权斗争日趋高涨的时代背景,因而被寄予了通过优先保护言论自由来促进人权平等的"重任"。但是,一方面,公众人物理论缺乏明晰的内涵与判断标准,难以将其与普通私人妥当地区分开;另一方面,真实恶意规则的用词并不精确,其既不能妥当地保护个体的名誉,也不能周延地保护新闻媒体,而对言论自由的过度保护在实际效果上可能适得其反。当前我国并不存在类似的制度背景和时代背景,亦无通过优先保护言论自由来促进人权平等的迫切诉求。既有的规范框架足以妥当解决公众人物的名誉权与言论自由之间的冲突问题,引进公众人物理论及真实恶意规则并无必要。In recent years, the theory of public figure and actual malice rule which arise from A- merica get the reputation in our country＇ s legal theory and judicial practice, but we should rethink whether such phenomenon reasonable or not. The applicable subjects of actual malice rule include pub- he official and public figure. Such rule was constructed on two reasons, for one thing, the traditional defamation law cannot protect freedom of speech and freedom of the press effectively; for another, the struggle for civil rights was carried out throughout the US. By token of this, the society was thirsty for a new rule which can promote the equality of human rights by protecting freedom of speech in priority. But the theory of public figure and actual malice rule are not perfect. On the one hand, the connotation and criterion of theory of public figure is not clear, we are hard to discern public figure from private ; On the other hand, the words of actual malice rule is not accurate, and such rule can neither protect personal reputation properly nor protect news media completely. Overprotection on freedom of speech may cause damage to itself in practice. At present, there is no similar systematical background and historical back- ground similar to America in our country, and there is no urgent need to promote the equality of human rights by protecting freedom of speech in priority. The existing legal framework can resolve the conflict between public figure＇ s right of reputation and freedom of speech properly, so there is no need to intro- duce the theory of public figure and actual malice rule in our country.

关 键 词：公众人物 真实恶意规则 名誉权 言论自由 

分 类 号：D923[政治法律—民商法学]