网页快照技术是搜索引擎事先对网络机器人设定好程序，在互联网上爬行抓取网页，而后把抓取的网页过滤掉图片、视频后制作成快照保存在搜索引擎的服务器中，当用户在搜素引擎地址栏输入关键词时，网页快照连同搜索到的页面一起提供给用户，用户点击“网页快照”进入存储在服务器中的快照页面，之后查询和下载相关信息。此技术大大提高了用户检索信息的效率和获取到信息的可能性，也促进了知识和信息在公众间的传播。事物都是有两面性的，此技术也给搜索服务提供方带来了很多困扰，因为这涉及到网络领域的著作权侵权。法官、学者、作者、公众对此项技术的态度不一致，不同国家的法律对此项技术的认定也不一致，不同法院对此项技术侵权案件的判决结果也不一致，该如何在法律上认定这项技术，笔者首先分析网页快照最基础的运行原理和造成的影响，而后分析了我国和国外关于网页快照涉诉的案件，解读了这些案件审理的关键点，为下文奠定了良好的理论基础。其次从两个层面对网页快照行为的著作权侵权行为进行了分析，一是从网页著作权的侵权行为构成着手；二是从网页相关的著作权专有权利入手；此两者结合分析得出网页快照侵犯复制权、信息网络传播权成立，侵犯修改权和保护作品完整权不成立。再次，从三个免责制度入手，逐一分析了其是否可以作为网页快照的免责事由。最后，针对网页快照的著作权侵权问题和相关的免责事由,从推动科技进步和保护作者著作权角度出发，提出完善合理使用制度和借鉴默示许可制度这两种立法思路的建议。

“Website snapshot” refers to the technology as follow: The search engine service provider copies the targeted webpages beforehand and then saves them in its own server and makes indexes. After that, the service provider offers users with the saved copies according to users ’instructions. The application of website snapshot has greatly promoted users’ access to needed information.But this technology is suspected of infringing the reproduction right and the right of the original webpage’s obligee. It remains to be controversial theoretically and practically as to how to deal with “website snapshot”, a technology that should free from controversy different counties or even different courts of the same country could produce different, sometimes totally opposite results of judgement.How to identify the technology in law? The first chapter summarizes the technical principles of website snapshot and explores the nature of it by analyzing and comparing relevant Chinese and overseas cases. Key points in cases related to website snapshot will be interpreted; in the second chapter, based on relevant laws, regulations and the analysis of judicial precedents, it could be identified that webpage is under the protection of copyright system. Based on this premise, this paper analyses the infringement of internet copyrights and further discusses whether the use of website snapshot has violated the exclusive rights of the copyright holder; in the fourth chapter, on the basis of the above analysis, with regard to copyright infringement related to website snapshot and relevant exemptions under China’s digital environment, this paper offers two legislative proposals as to improving the fair use system and implied license system from the perspective of promoting technological development and protecting the copyrights of the author.