From: Ann Shumelda Okerson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 1 May 2017 19:05:37 -0400

With regard to this discussion about RA21, Cliff Lynch's recent, in
depth article in First Monday seems very relevant and highly
recommended as it touches on the issues various liblicense-l postings
have raised.  Please check it out.

http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/7414

April 3, 2017

The rise of reading analytics and the emerging calculus of reader
privacy in the digital world

Clifford Lynch

Abstract

This paper studies emerging technologies for tracking reading
behaviors (“reading analytics”) and their implications for reader
privacy, attempting to place them in a historical context. It
discusses what data is being collected, to whom it is available, and
how it might be used by various interested parties (including
authors). I explore means of tracking what’s being read, who is doing
the reading, and how readers discover what they read. The paper
includes two case studies: mass-market e-books (both directly acquired
by readers and mediated by libraries) and scholarly journals (usually
mediated by academic libraries); in the latter case I also provide
examples of the implications of various authentication, authorization
and access management practices on reader privacy. While legal issues
are touched upon, the focus is generally pragmatic, emphasizing
technology and marketplace practices. The article illustrates the way
reader privacy concerns are shifting from government to commercial
surveillance, and the interactions between government and the private
sector in this area. The paper emphasizes U.S.-based developments.

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