Academic journals are a lucrative scam – and we're determined to change that

Academic journals have become a lucrative industry, with major publishers like Elsevier and Wiley generating billions in revenue and high profit margins. Despite academics providing the content for free, these publishers sell access to universities at exorbitant prices, limiting access to cutting-edge research. The commercialization of academic publishing has led to issues like high subscription costs, bundled journal packages, and author fees for open access articles. This system incentivizes quantity over quality, resulting in the proliferation of fake research and pressure on reputable journals to lower standards. To combat this, some academics are advocating for "diamond" open access, where universities fund journals directly to ensure accessibility and editorial integrity. However, transitioning to this model faces challenges due to the current academic incentive structure tied to prestigious commercial journals. By advocating for a more sustainable and accessible publishing model, academics aim to revolutionize the dissemination of knowledge and combat misinformation in the public sphere.