On the Utilization Mechanism of Orphan Works

Abstract

<p>The issue of using orphan works is a global problem, and the proposed amendment to our country's Copyright Law intends to introduce a system for their use. The value objective of the system for using orphan works should be consistent with the Copyright Law's goal of encouraging the creation and dissemination of works.</p><p>A comparative analysis of the benefits to rights holders and users before and after the introduction of an orphan works system shows that, when the system operates effectively, its implementation can increase the income of rights holders while promoting the legal dissemination of such works. This not only provides economic incentives for authors to create but also encourages disseminators to legally distribute orphan works, thereby increasing public access and enhancing the spread of knowledge. Moreover, against the backdrop of strengthened copyright protection and increasing costs of infringement, a system for orphan works would guide users to transition from infringing pathways to legal ones, thus fulfilling the objectives of the Copyright Law.</p><p>However, the system also carries the risk of being abused by users, which could have the negative impact of discouraging authors' creative incentives. To mitigate this negative effect, the system for using orphan works must be improved from both an institutional and a technological perspective.</p>

孤儿作品的使用问题是一个全球性的问题，我国本次著作权法修改拟引入孤儿作品使用制度。孤儿作品使用制度的价值目标应与著作权法鼓励作品创作和传播的价值目标保持一致。通过比较分析孤儿作品使用制度，引入前后权利人和使用者的获益状况可知，在该制度运行良好的情况下，制度的引入可以增加权利人的收入并同时促进孤儿作品的合法传播。这不但实现了制度对于作者创作作品予以经济上的激励，也激励了传播者合法传播孤儿作品，进而增加了公众接近作品的机会，增进了知识传播。而且，在著作权侵权保护力度增强，侵权成本不断提高的背景下，孤儿作品使用制度将引导使用者从侵权使用途径过渡到合法使用途径，从而满足了著作权法价值目标的要求。但是，这个制度也有可能被使用者滥用而产生挫伤作者创作积极性的负面影响。为消除这种负面影响，必须从制度和技术两个层面对孤儿作品使用制度进行完善。