Scientific research piracy site hit with $15 million fine

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The operator of a searchable piracy site for scientific research papers has been ordered to pay $15 million as fallout from a US copyright infringement lawsuit brought by one of the world's leading scientific publishers, New York-based Elsevier.


https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/201 ... lion-fine/



The truth is prior to sci-hub a lot of the general public was put off accessing research papers by charges of $30 or so to download a full paper. In essence it meant people were denied information that should have been readily available to them.
This denial serves to make people cynical about scientific research. After all if it's kosher why put unnecessary barriers up to people accessing the research?

Where should the publishing companies drive to maximise profits end and people's right to information that may affect them begin?

Would there really be a need for sci-hub if publishing companies were charging reasonable amounts for access to those papers?

In essence it is the publishing companies wanton greed that ensures that a site like sci hub exists.