Web3 Developers Urgent Self-Check: Technical Circumvention of Copyright Infringement Is a Criminal Offense
A Hangzhou Internet Court ruling in the "Fat Tiger Gets a Vaccine" NFT copyright case underscores that decentralization does not exempt developers and platforms from legal responsibility. The verdict clarifies that "technology-enabled copyright evasion" — bypassing digital safeguards like access controls or copyright protection mechanisms — constitutes infringement, even if done indirectly.
Such evasion includes direct circumvention (e.g., breaking encryption) and indirect acts (e.g., distributing tools that enable bypassing protections). In Web3, risks are heightened due to broader evasion targets (e.g., smart contracts, blockchain protocols), complex involved parties (e.g., anonymous DAOs, global nodes), and irreversible on-chain侵权 consequences.
Chinese judicial interpretations explicitly criminalize providing tools or services designed to circumvent copyright protections. Platforms cannot claim "technology neutrality" and must implement proactive governance, including smart contract audits and content monitoring. Compliance should be integrated early in project design, with legal expertise guiding tokenomics and technical architecture to balance innovation and legality.
marsbit01/06 03:34
