Brake Thread
Following my post yesterday, the thread of comments relating to the Mark Brake/University of Glamorgan fraud scandal has been removed from the Times Higher story. However, I was logging the thread until very near the end (in fact, until my own last comment this morning shortly before the comments were closed). I have posted them on a permanent page here to preserve them, but the page is currently offline pending clarification of copyright issues.
I have no idea why the comments were deleted, but I hope it is a sign that the University of Glamorgan is finally investigating this matter. If they are, I expect this matter to reach a speedy conclusion. If not, I will keep you posted on further developments with this and other matters in due course.
I’ve decided to reduce the amout of blogging I do over the next few days to catch up on paper-writing and a few other things, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing if story stays at the top of the page for now.
In the Dark 
November 26, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Phillip,
As far as I understand it these comments were contributed voluntarily by members of the public and they did not assign copyright to the THES when they did so. My understanding is therefore that they are in the public domain and it therefore seems to me there is no reason for me not to include them ona free blog.
The THES gave no reason for removing the entire thread, so I assume they just wanted to make space for other items.
If the THES asks me to remove them and gives a good reasons, I shall be happy to do so.
Peter
November 26, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Phillip
Reading the Times Higher terms and conditions I agree with you that the copyright issue is more complicated than I thought. I have therefore taken the thread of comments offline unless and until the matter is clarified.
I apologize if I have inadvertantly transgressed.
Peter
November 26, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Peter,
It is probably worth making sure that you have an “offline” backup of that page. I don’t know how well wordpress.com stand up to legal threats, but you get what you pay for…
November 26, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Thanks Will. In fact many people besides me have been logging those comments so they will not be lost. It will be a shame however if the THES has discarded its access logs as the UoG would have needed them for its investigation. That is if it actually intended to have one, which is doubtful.
December 3, 2009 at 1:48 pm
[…] reference. I was worried that the comments might be lost when the Times Higher closed them so I posted them on this blog. I took them offline a bit later because I was worried about possible copyright […]