个人信息民法属性之辨
Analysis of the Civil Law Attributes of Personal Information

《中华人民共和国民法典》第111条对自然人的信息受法律保护进行了明确规定。立法对该项利益的民法属性并未进行明晰，这种立法上的留白在学界引起了较大争议。个人信息的民法属性究竟是法益抑或权利，在学者中有着不同的解读，逐渐划分为“民事权利说”和“法益说”两大阵营。《民法总则》第111条对个人信息保护的文本表述缺乏法定权利的规范外观，同时个人信息利益符合法益所保护之利益的构成要素，即未被现有权利所保护、具有有用性及合法性。民法典分编相关内容应承接《民法总则》第111条确立的法益保护路径，继续细化个人信息保护标准，将个人信息这一利益的民法属性归为法益，而非民事权利。
Article 111 of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China clearly stipulates the legal protection of natural persons’ information. The legislature has not clarified the civil law attributes of this interest, which has caused considerable controversy in the academic community. There are different interpretations among scholars as to whether personal information is a legal interest or a right. It has gradually been divided into two camps, namely the “civil right theory” and the “legal interest theory”. The textual expression of Article 111 of the General Provisions of the Civil Law lacks the normative appearance of a statutory right, and at the same time, the interest of personal information meets the elements of interests protected by legal interests, namely, not being protected by existing rights, being useful, and being legal. The relevant provisions of the Civil Code’s division should follow the legal interest protection path established by Article 111 of the General Provisions of the Civil Law and continue to refine the standards for personal information protection. The civil law attributes of personal information should be regarded as a legal interest, rather than a civil right.