​Researchers Ask: Does Academia Need Another Alternative to For-Profit Scholarly Platforms? | EdSurge News

"Researchers have long raised doubts over sharing work on venture-backed publishing platforms. Some scholars have even pushed for an exodus from sites like Academia.edu, pointing out that tech companies have access to academics’ work, and prioritize profit. Qualms with the for-profit publishing industry was part of what inspired the creation of free, nonprofit scholarly networking sites, such as Humanities Commons, which launched in 2016 out of the Modern Language Association’s social network and communication platform. And just last week another nonprofit platform called ScholarlyHub announced its plans for a site where researchers can also exchange ideas and work—if they pay a subscription fee."