作者：王承堂
作者介绍：扬州大学法学院教授
出版日期：2025年10月9日
内容提要 电子商务平台责任二分的立法模式，源于平台具有企业与市场身份的双重性。商场、展销会依据消费者权益保护法承担的先行赔付责任在性质上属于替代责任。对开展非自营业务的电子商务平台配置不同于商场、展销会的法律责任，有悖于法经济学原理。企业作为通过市场交易来组织生产的替代机制，电子商务平台经营者替代平台内经营者承担产品责任具有交易成本优势。平台基于接入而非所有的原则固然实现了规模效应，但因此免除其本应承担的产品责任属于平台的规制套利，故应进一步加强平台的守门人责任。守门人责任的实质在于承担第三方责任，代理的规范结构消解了电子商务平台守门人承担替代责任的法理障碍。先行赔付责任满足“控制”与“获利”的要件，可成为电子商务平台守门人责任。
关键词 电子商务平台 守门人责任 替代责任 先行赔付责任 规制套利
Abstract: The legislative model of dichotomizing e-commerce platform liability originates from the dual identity of platforms as both firms and markets. The advance compensation liability borne by physical marketplaces and trade fairs under the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests is vicarious liability in nature. The imposition of liability on e-commerce platforms conducting non-self-operated business that differs from that imposed on physical marketplaces and trade fairs contradicts the principles of law and economics. The firm functions as an alternative mechanism to organize production through market transactions; consequently, e-commerce platform operators possess the advantage of transaction costs in bearing vicarious product liability for merchants operating on their platforms. While platforms, based on the principle of access over ownership, undoubtedly achieve economies of scale, exempting themselves from the product liability they should inherently bear constitutes regulatory arbitrage by platforms. Therefore, the platform’s liability of gatekeepers should be further strengthened. The essence of gatekeeper liability lies in assuming third-party liability. The normative structure of agency dissolves the jurisprudential obstacles preventing e-commerce platform gatekeepers from bearing vicarious liability. The advance compensation liability, which similarly satisfies the requirements of ‘control’ and ‘profit-making’, can thus serve as the foundation for gatekeeper liability for e-commerce platforms.