Open access to research data and publications: The unintended consequences

Open access to scientific knowledge, while not a new idea, has gained considerable traction with the advent of the European Commissions’ Open Science Agenda. Open data access and open access publications are key pillars of this agenda, along with open innovation and research integrity. However, the Open Science agenda presents significant challenges for researchers, not just because of the many issues of practical implementation, but also because there are ethical considerations that need to be explored and resolved.