論大眾傳播媒體報導SARS疫情與人格權保障之衝突

The Conflict between Reporting of SARS by Mass Media and Protection of Rights to Personality

陳耀祥(Yaw-Shyang Chen)

《臺灣海洋法學報》 3卷2期 (2004/12) Pp. 119-162

https://doi.org/10.29881/TLSR.200412.0003

摘要

SARS是台灣百年來所面臨最嚴重的傳染病，目前雖然已經遠離，但是無法排除捲土重來的可能性，這是人類處於風險社會中無法避免的問題。在SARS防治過程中所遺留下來的問題至今仍然影響整個台灣社會。本文之研究重點在於SARS防治過程中，大眾傳播媒體報導被感染之病人、照顧之醫護人員、強制隔離者及其家屬所導致的侵害人格權問題。大眾傳播媒體的強大資訊散播能力及無可取代的媒介角色，使其成為防治SARS等法定傳染病的重要手段。然而，前述被報導者的人格權及其他合法權益，在媒體報導中如何受到尊重及保障，是後SARS時期檢討防治工作與人權保障所不可迴避的問題。此種基本權衝突之問題，在憲法上並無明文的保護優先順序規定，原則上由立法者衡量特定社會行為態樣及相衝突的基本權利比重後加以決定。然而，不論是SARS暫行條例或新修正之傳染病防治法，就媒體報導行為與人格權之保護，在構成要件上或程序上皆欠缺明確規定，且受規範之大眾傳播媒體無法完全預見，似有違法律明確性原則。既無一般性優先順序之規定，故何項基本權利應優先受到保障，必須視具體個案之情況加以衡量判斷。就此，本文提出判斷基準，希望對於將來解決類似的衝突問題，提供一定之參考。

關鍵字

傳染病 ； 大眾傳播媒體 ； 人格權 ； 基本權利

並列摘要

In Taiwan, SARS was the most serious infectious disease in hundred years. This disease was temporarily past, but it could anytime come again. We are unusually threatened by unknown diseases in the so-called ”risk society”. The limitation of human rights of patients and quarantined persons in order to prevent and control SARS infection is so far in dispute. The purpose of this article is to discuss the conflict between the general right to personality of persons affected by SARS and the freedom of mass media. The general right to personality is invoked to vindicate a personal liberty interest against intrusive activity from state or other people. In accordance with the freedom of mass media, journalists and media companies could defend themselves against encroachment from state or other people. A free mass media is an essential element of a free society. It supplies information and takes orients public debate. This freedom also guarantees the existence of the institution of a free mass media. Although the reporting of mass media is a very important means to prevent and control infectious diseases, but it often results unjustified infringement of human rights. The resolution of this confict must therefore take account of which right is prior to protect. But it is short of general legal standards in ”Communicable Disease Control Act” and ”Temporary Articles of Prevention and Contingency of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome”. The priority of protection can be only specially decided in each case. A model for resolving the conflict of both mentioned human rights is designed in this article.

並列關鍵字

SARS ； infection ； mass media ； general right to personality ； basic right