The Council of Europe is considering a proposal requiring online media to offer a "right of reply" to anyone criticized by one of their authors. The requirement would not be limited to professional online media, but would extend to all online media, including chat rooms, discussion lists, and blogs. Declan McCullagh blasts the idea in his June 16 column, pointing out the obvious burden on blogs and online discussions, but also reminding us that a right of reply for TV stations in the U.S. did not trigger vigorous two-sided debate, but only insipid editorials that never criticized anyone for anything. Think about the consequences for scholarly journals. Assuming that scholars won't stop criticizing other thinkers and theories, will journals be willing to accommodate the right of reply? Or to avoid it, will they move back to print-only publication?
Posted by
Peter Suber at 6/16/2003 01:04:00 PM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
