Ex-research council boss Douglas Kell says sector body should take action over unsolicited emails that consume academics’ time
UK universities should consider taking legal action to stop the “tsunami of spam emails” from predatory publishers that is consuming “vast amounts of academics’ time”, a scientist has argued.
Much has been written about the vile scourge of questionable publishers and their toxic pollution of the body of scholarly literature. Warning HDR candidates and ECRs about their false claims and enticing lies. Urging more experienced researchers away from the hollow and meaningless promises of shortcuts. Little is said about the barrage of spam we endure. This move from the UK used to be congratulated. We have included links to 9 related items.
“This tsunami of spam emails is totally illegal and consumes vast amounts of academic time,” said Professor Kell, who is now research professor of systems biology at the University of Liverpool.
“It is something that Universities UK should be tackling because it affects all their members,” he added.
Professor Kell suggested that UUK should sue so-called predatory publishers in a similar action to the 2019 lawsuit brought by the US Federal Trade Commission, a consumer watchdog, which saw a Nevada court order the OMICS International publishing group to pay $50 million (£36.6 million) in fines for “deceptive publishing”.
