US court fines Indian publisher of ‘predatory’ journals $50m

In the world of scientific research, they are pernicious impostors. So-called predatory journals, online publications with officialsounding names, publish virtually anything, even gibberish, that an academic researcher submits — for a fee.

Critics have long maintained that these journals are eroding scientific credibility and wasting grant money. But academics must publish research to further their careers, and the number of questionable outlets has exploded. Now the Federal Trade Commission has stepped in, announcing on Wednesday that it has won a $50 million court judgment against Omics International of Hyderabad, India, and its owner, Srinubabu Gedela.