Is a work published in open access not protected by copyright?
UKM
Last Update 9 months ago
The concept of open access is often misunderstood. Some assume that works published in open access are no longer protected by copyright. This is not the case.
The purpose of open access is not to deprive authors of their rights or weaken copyright protection. Instead, it aims to support the free circulation of knowledge, enabling faster scientific progress and greater visibility or research.
Works published in open access remain fully protected by copyright. However, by applying an appropriate open license, authors can allow others to reuse their work under clearly defined conditions.
Even within an open access framework, access to certain content may still need to be restricted in order to protect other important interests, such as trade secrets, personal data, or sensitive information.