International Open Access Journal Platform

网络文学作品融梗行为侵权认定困境及应对策略

Dilemmas in Tort Identification of Plot Borrowing in Online Literary Works and Corresponding Countermeasures

Progress in Social Sciences / 2025,7(9): 713-719 / 2025-09-28 6 2

View Download PDF

• Authors: 樊芳琪
• Information:

  武汉工程大学，武汉

• Keywords:
  Plot Borrowing; Copyright Infringement; Substantial Similarity; Idea-Expression Dichotomy
  融梗; 著作权侵权; 实质性相似; 思想与表达二分法
• Abstract: With the vigorous development of the online literature industry, the practice of “plot borrowing” (a term referring to the integration or adaptation of plot elements from existing works) in creation has become increasingly common, frequently triggering copyright disputes. Situated between legal reference and illegal plagiarism, the core controversy surrounding plot borrowing lies in the blurred boundary between ideas and their expression, the difficulty in quantifying the standard of originality, and the lack of a unified criterion for judging plot similarity—all of which have led to dilemmas in the interpretation and application of copyright law. In current judicial practice, judgments largely rely on judges’ discretionary power, and the absence of professional support mechanisms has further heightened the risk of inconsistent ruling standards. By analyzing the legal nature of plot borrowing, drawing on typical judicial cases and comparative law experiences, this paper systematically examines the institutional predicaments of plot borrowing in three aspects: the definition of the public domain, the identification of the originality of expression, and the structure of the subject responsible for identification. The paper argues that to improve the legal response system for plot borrowingrelated infringement, it is necessary to introduce an expert assistant system, promote the application of punitive damages, and strengthen online platforms’ responsibility for copyright governance. These measures aim to strike a balance between effectively protecting the rights and interests of original authors and safeguarding freedom of creation, thereby fostering the healthy and orderly development of online literature. 随着网络文学产业的蓬勃发展，创作中的融梗行为日益普遍，频繁引发著作权争议。融梗行为介于合法借鉴与非法抄袭之间，其核心争议在于思想与表达界限模糊、独创性标准难以量化、情节相似性判断缺乏统一尺度，导致著作权法在适用过程中面临解释困境。当前司法实践中，裁判多依赖法官自由裁量，缺乏专业辅助机制，进一步加剧了裁判尺度不统一的风险。本文通过分析融梗行为的法律属性，结合典型司法案例与比较法经验，系统剖析融梗行为在公共领域界定、表达独创性识别及认定主体结构等方面的制度困境，并主张通过引入专家辅助人制度、推动惩罚性赔偿适用以及强化平台版权治理责任，完善融梗侵权的法律应对体系，以实现对原创作者权益的有效保护与创作自由之间的平衡，促进网络文学健康有序发展。
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.35534/pss.0709121
• Cite: 樊芳琪．网络文学作品融梗行为侵权认定困境及应对策略［J］．社会科学进展，2025，7（9）：713-719.