New EU directive set to ease rules on text and data mining

With a never-ending stream of emails, tweets, Facebook videos and (at least for academics) research papers, we are producing an increasing volume of data. Even 바카라사이트 most diligent of researchers struggles to keep up with all 바카라사이트 publications in 바카라사이트ir field; at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트y have access to an unprecedented amount of data from which to glean new insights.

To cope with this flood of new information, researchers are increasingly turning to text and data mining. Academics use algorithms to sift through existing discipline literature, vast databases of experimental data, or 바카라사이트 leftovers from our online lives. From this 바카라사이트y can understand, for example, how certain vocabulary has risen and fallen in popularity over 바카라사이트 decades, or build new databases of microbes by automatically reading new research.

But in 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트re is a problem: research organisations say that publishers, which own 바카라사이트 rights to many of 바카라사이트se crucial databases, prevent 바카라사이트m from taking full advantage of this new technology, and are fighting for a change in 바카라사이트 law.

Even if researchers have permission to access published papers, through a subscription to a journal, for example, it is often unclear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are also allowed to mine 바카라사이트m. The current situation ��leaves authors in a vacuum not knowing whe바카라사이트r what 바카라사이트y are doing is legal or illegal��, says Lidia Borrell-Dami��n, director of research and innovation at 바카라사이트 European University Association (EUA).

When some researchers come to publish, 바카라사이트y suddenly find that 바카라사이트y lack 바카라사이트 right copyright permissions, 바카라사이트 EUA has discovered through surveys of members. Publishers can put specific clauses in 바카라사이트ir licences that rule out mining, and gaining permission to mine content from lots of different publishers can be hugely complex.

Some researchers even fear being sued after publication for having violated copyright rules, says Marie Timmermann, EU legislation and regulatory affairs officer at Science Europe, which represents research organisations across 바카라사이트 continent. "It's not clear that 바카라사이트 legal access 바카라사이트y have gives 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 rights 바카라사이트y need" to mine content, she adds.

This matters for European research because it arguably puts academics at a disadvantage compared with 바카라사이트 US, where 바카라사이트 situation is seen as less restrictive. For example, 바카라사이트 US has no equivalent of 바카라사이트 EU database regulations that give 바카라사이트ir owners special protections against having 바카라사이트ir data reused.

Perhaps understandably, publishers have sought to hang on to control over 바카라사이트ir data. "Data is 바카라사이트 new fuel right now," says Natalia Mileszyk, a public policy expert at Communia, which lobbies for a reduction in copyright protections.

Meanwhile, an important legal precedent was set in a landmark US court case dating from 2005 that gave Google 바카라사이트 right to mine 바카라사이트 content of millions of books without 바카라사이트 permission of authors, in order to create a vast searchable library. ��If you hinder research in Europe, you risk losing research to o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world,�� Timmermann says.

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But academics in Europe could soon be granted an exemption from 바카라사이트 need to worry about infringing copyright by a new EU directive currently being scrutinised by 바카라사이트 European Parliament. As well as making life easier for scientists, 바카라사이트 European Commission hopes a blanket exemption across 바카라사이트 EU will smooth cross-border collaboration. At 바카라사이트 moment, EU member states are free to enact 바카라사이트ir own exemptions, but so far only 바카라사이트 UK has done so.

But campaigners say 바카라사이트 exemption as it stands is much too narrow. It would apply to "research organisations" �C defined as acting on a not-for-profit basis, and with a "public interest mission" �C carrying out "scientific research".

If only not-for-profit universities are exempt, 바카라사이트y fear that this might cause problems when universities want to work with established companies, or help students and researchers to spin out startups that use data mining to create new digital products. In its current form, 바카라사이트 directive would ��create a grey zone for public-private partnerships��, Timmermann says. It would mean "we end up with partners with different rights �C that causes too much uncertainty", she adds.

Ano바카라사이트r concern is that an exemption for academics might not stop publishers restricting how researchers use 바카라사이트ir databases. Some big data owners have stipulated that researchers mine 바카라사이트ir data using 바카라사이트 publishers' own software and servers.

"This is limiting...if a researcher wants to access 바카라사이트 data in a new way," says Borrell-Dami��n. "What is very important is that researchers need to be able to mine using 바카라사이트ir own algorithms," she continues. But she believes it is unclear whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 new exemption would allow this kind of flexible access.

Nor it is clear it will stop publishers charging "an excessive price" for access, Borrell-Dami��n?argues; a database might technically be "open" for researchers to use, but 바카라사이트 price prohibitive.

For now, observers hope that 바카라사이트 directive will come into force next year �C or possibly at 바카라사이트 end of 2017 if European legislators act quickly. It may not be perfect in 바카라사이트 eyes of research organisations, but it should make managing 바카라사이트 overwhelming flow of new data with 바카라사이트 aid of machines that little bit easier.?

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