美國「1997年反電子竊盜法」1997年12月生效

(章忠信 87.12.14. 最近更新日期 93.054.27.)
E-mail: ch7943wa@ms12.hinet.net
有著作權，侵害必究

美國「1997年反電子竊盜法(The No Electronic Theft Act of 1997，簡稱NET)」於1997年12月正式生效。

依修正前之美國著作權法，無營利之意圖而散布他人著作者，未違反著作權法，此一情況對著作權人而言仍構成損害，但無法獲得救濟。美國「1997年反電子竊盜法(The No Electronic Theft Act)」即在彌補此一缺漏，使無營利之意圖而散布他人著作者亦須承擔侵害著作權之刑事責任。但此一法案僅適用於故意犯，對於過失而散布他人著作之個人並不加以處罰，且對於故意犯僅有刑事處罰，並無民事責任。

依修正前之1976年美國著作權法第506條第(a)項規定：「任何人故意及為營利(commercial advantage)或個人經濟上得利(private financial gain)之目的，所為之著作權侵害，應依第十八號法典(即美國之刑法)第2319條加以處罰。」而依1992年修正之第十八號法典第2319條第(b)項規定，其處罰標準如下：

(1)對於在180天內，就單一或更多之著作，製作10份以上之盜版品，總值超過2,500美元者，屬於重罪(felony)，應處五年以下有期徒，科或併科250,000美元以下罰金，法人則科500,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(b)項第(1)款及第3571條第(b)項)；累犯處十年以下有期徒刑，或科或併科250,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(b)項第(2)款)。

(2)前述以下之侵害，則屬微罪(misdemeanor)，處一年以下有期徒刑，科或併科25,000美元以下罰金，法人則科100,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(b)項第(3)項及第3571條第(b)項)。

美國著作權法之刑責起源於1897年著作權法，當時之用詞為「故意及為營利(willful and for profit)」，1976年美國著作權法第506條第(a)項規定修正為「故意及為營利(commercial advantage)或個人經濟上得利(private financial gain)之目的」，該項修正被司法機關闡釋包括意圖營利而未實際獲利之侵害者。

由於數位化網路科技之發展，侵害著作權變得容易且低成本，常見的情形是，侵害者雖無營利之目的，但對於對於著作權人確實會造成鉅大損害，例如單純為誇耀其網路技術能力的網友、意圖報復的被開除員工、不滿意的消費者、甚至反著作權運動者。由於這些侵害者通常也不一定很有資力，民事訴訟之損害賠償對其不一定能發生遏阻效果，則祇有藉助刑法處罰規定之修正。

最具代表性的案子，是在1994年的一個著作權侵害訴訟案件(United States v. LaMacchia, 871 F. Supp. 535(D. Mass. 1994))，該案被告LaMacchia是一名學生電腦駭客，架設網站鼓勵大家將商業電腦軟體上載，以供大家免費下載利用。由於其沒有營利之目的，最後祇能以「意圖網路詐欺(conspiracy to commit wire fraud)」加以起訴，無法以侵害著作權之刑罰科責之。然而，法院最後卻判決被告無罪，理由是法院認為最高法院在一九八五年的Dowling v. United States, 473 U.S. 207 (1985)一案中已揭示，無體的智慧財產權無從以詐欺的方式侵害，著作權之侵害就應依著作權法認定其處罰標準，而既然著作權法對於非營利之侵害行為未作處罰規定，就不能以其他法律起訴處罰。

為了因應此一對著作權人有絕對不利之侵害行為，NET法案一方面將「個人經濟上得利」在定義上擴及於銷售盜版以獲取金錢以外，包括其他以著作權相關產品進行互易之行為，另一方面對於透過網路以重製或散布方式所為之故意侵害，縱使沒有營利意圖，但對著作權造成實質損害者，亦加以處罰。此一修正之結果，將過去以「侵害人藉不法侵害以謀取自己之私利」之犯行為懲罰目的之立法，改變集中於「侵害人藉不法侵害而嚴重損害著作權人利益」之犯行為懲罰目的。

新通過之NET並未修正第十八號法典第2319條第(b)項，而係增訂第(c)項，對於透過網路以重製或散布方式侵害著作權之行為，處罰如下：

(1)對於單一或更多之著作，重製或散布10份以上之盜版品，總值超過2,500美元者，屬於重罪(felony)，應處三年以下有期徒，科或併科250,000美元以下罰金，法人則科500,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(c)項第(1)款及第3571條第(b)項)；累犯處六年以下有期徒刑，或科或併科250,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(c)項第(2)款)。

(2)對於單一或更多之著作，重製或散布1份以上之盜版品，總值超過1,000美元者，屬微罪(misdemeanor)，處一年以下有期徒刑，科或併科25,000美元以下罰金，法人則科100,000美元以下罰金(第2319條第(C)項第(3)項及第3571條第(b)項)。

Sec. 506. - Criminal offenses
(a) Criminal Infringement. -
Any person who infringes a copyright willfully either -
(1) for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, or
(2) by the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $1,000,
shall be punished as provided under section 2319 of title 18, United States Code. For purposes of this subsection, evidence of reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work, by itself, shall not be sufficient to establish willful infringement.
(b) Forfeiture and Destruction. -
When any person is convicted of any violation of subsection (a), the court in its judgment of conviction shall, in addition to the penalty therein prescribed, order the forfeiture and destruction or other disposition of all infringing copies or phonorecords and all implements, devices, or equipment used in the manufacture of such infringing copies or phonorecords.
(c) Fraudulent Copyright Notice. -
Any person who, with fraudulent intent, places on any article a notice of copyright or words of the same purport that such person knows to be false, or who, with fraudulent intent, publicly distributes or imports for public distribution any article bearing such notice or words that such person knows to be false, shall be fined not more than $2,500.
(d) Fraudulent Removal of Copyright Notice. -
Any person who, with fraudulent intent, removes or alters any notice of copyright appearing on a copy of a copyrighted work shall be fined not more than $2,500.
(e) False Representation. -
Any person who knowingly makes a false representation of a material fact in the application for copyright registration provided for by section 409, or in any written statement filed in connection with the application, shall be fined not more than $2,500.
(f) Rights of Attribution and Integrity. -
Nothing in this section applies to infringement of the rights conferred by section 106A(a).

TITLE 18 CHAPTER 113
Sec. 2319. - Criminal infringement of a copyright
(a) Whoever violates section 506(a) (relating to criminal offenses) of title 17 shall be punished as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section and such penalties shall be in addition to any other provisions of title 17 or any other law.
(b)Any person who commits an offense under section 506(a)(1) of title 17 -
(1)shall be imprisoned not more than 5 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense consists of the reproduction or distribution, including by electronic means, during any 180-day period, of at least 10 copies or phonorecords, of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $2,500;
(2)shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense is a second or subsequent offense under paragraph (1); and
(3)shall be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, in any other case.
(c) Any person who commits an offense under section 506(a)(2) of title 17, United States Code -
(1) shall be imprisoned not more than 3 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense consists of the reproduction or distribution of 10 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of $2,500 or more;
(2) shall be imprisoned not more than 6 years, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense is a second or subsequent offense under paragraph (1); and
(3) shall be imprisoned not more than 1 year, or fined in the amount set forth in this title, or both, if the offense consists of the reproduction or distribution of 1 or more copies or phonorecords of 1 or more copyrighted works, which have a total retail value of more than $1,000.