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 profit margins rivaling tech giants like Google. Despite academics providing the content for free, these publishers charge universities exorbitant fees for access, hindering research dissemination. The commercialization of academic publishing has led to a proliferation of low-quality journals and inflated costs, with universities paying millions to access their own research. To combat this, some academics are advocating for "diamond" open access, where funding agencies directly support journals without charging authors or readers. However, transitioning to this model faces challenges due to the current system's prestige and career incentives. By promoting open access and editorial independence, academics aim to revolutionize scholarly publishing, making research accessible to all and countering disinformation in the public sphere.