从购物车到索赔：解决在线市场中的产品责任（英）-2024.6.pdf

FromCarttoClaim:AddressingProduct

LiabilityinOnlineMarketplaces

ByBeccaTrate|June24,2024

Whenadefectivepopcornmachinecatchesonfireand

burnsdownahouse,thehomeowner’sfirstcallwillbeto

theirlawyer,askingwhoisliableforthedamages.But

eveniftheycandemonstratetheharmandprovewhat

causedthefire,thehomeownermightbeleftoutinthe

cold,dependingonhowtheypurchasedtheirpopcorn

machine.Stateproductliabilitylawstraditionallyhold

manufacturers,distributors,andsellersstrictlyliablefor

defectiveproductstheybringtomarket.Asconsumers

increasinglymakepurchasesfromonlinemarketplaces—

platformsthataggregateproductsfrommultiplethird-

partysellers—newquestionsariseabouthowtobest

protectthemfromdefectiveproductsthatposeariskto

healthandsafety.Stateproductliabilitylawsgenerallydo

notholdonlinemarketplacesliablefordefectiveproducts

thatcauseharm,becausethemarketplaceisonlyan

intermediarythatconnectsbuyersandsellers.Moreover,

third-partysellersononlinemarketplacesmaynot

respondtoaconsumer’scomplaints,disappearafter

sellingadefectiveproduct,orignoreanylegalaction

takenagainstthemiftheyareoutsidetheauthorityof

U.S.courts.

Somepolicymakerswanttomakeonlinemarketplaceslegallyliablefor

harmfulproductssoldontheirplatforms.Underexistinglaw,several

factorsmaydeterminewhetheranonlinemarketplaceisliablefor

defectiveproducts,suchashowaplatformfulfillsaproduct,ifitevertakes

CENTERFORDATAINNOVATION1

possessionoftheproduct,anditsroleinfacilitatingthesale.Futurecourt

casesmayalsochangeifandhowanonlinemarketplacebearsliability

understatelaw.

Aspolicymakersdebatethefutureofproductliabilitylawsandtheir

applicabilitytoonlinemarketplaces,theyshouldconsiderhowexisting

effortsby