Piracy on the OA High Seas

Abstract

Protecting intellectual property in all its variations is a serious international issue and challenge. While the theft of journal articles may not always be visible, there increasingly is evidence that it is occurring for both commercial publishers and open access publishers. The implications of massive downloading of journal content for unauthorized purposes will differentially impact the sustainability of the business model employed by the publisher. The resulting extremely serious implications, risks, and impacts are identified and considered in a high-hearted manner that contrasts with similar aspects previously encountered in managing unwanted journal donations.

KEYWORDS:

• piracy
• intellectual property
• copyright