Yes I can.
I’ll choose a relevant and genuinely controversial topic within scholarly publishing and DOI, so it fits your website and positions you as a thought leader, not just a service provider.
Below is a full-length, opinionated but professional article suitable for a blog. It is controversial, yet balanced and safe for academic audiences.
Category
Scholarly Publishing Insights
Suggested Tags
DOI system, academic publishing ethics, fake DOI, research integrity, predatory journals, scholarly communication, publishing standards
The Dark Side of DOI Registration: How Misuse and Fake DOI Practices Are Damaging Scholarly Publishing
The Digital Object Identifier (DOI) system was created to bring order, permanence, and trust to scholarly communication. For decades, it has served as the backbone of academic citation, discovery, and long-term access. However, as academic publishing has expanded rapidly, a troubling reality has emerged: DOIs are increasingly being misused, misunderstood, and exploited.
This uncomfortable truth is rarely discussed openly but it must be.
This article explores how fake DOI schemes, unethical practices, and lack of awareness are harming research credibility, and what responsible publishers and researchers must do to protect the integrity of scholarly publishing.
DOI Was Meant to Ensure Trust So Why Is Trust Eroding?
At its core, a DOI is supposed to signal that a piece of research:
- Is properly registered
- Has structured metadata
- Can be persistently accessed
- Belongs to a legitimate publishing workflow
The Rise of Fake and Misleading DOI Practices
One of the most alarming trends in recent years is the emergence of unauthorized DOI providers and misleading “DOI-like” identifiers.
These practices include:
- Selling identifiers that look like DOIs but are not registered through authorized infrastructure
- Using DOI logos without authorization
- Assigning identifiers without depositing proper metadata
- Creating DOIs that resolve temporarily and later break
Such practices directly undermine the credibility of the DOI system and confuse researchers who may not have the technical knowledge to verify authenticity.
Predatory Journals and DOI Misuse
Predatory journals have become adept at mimicking legitimate academic signals and DOI misuse is one of their most effective tools.
Many predatory publishers:
- Advertise “DOI included” as a selling point
- Assign DOIs without proper activation
- Fail to maintain landing pages or metadata
- Disappear after collecting publication fees
As a result, researchers may end up with papers that technically have a DOI but are functionally invisible to the academic ecosystem.
The Dangerous Myth: “DOI = Indexing”
Another widespread misconception is that assigning a DOI automatically leads to indexing in databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, or Google Scholar.
This is false.
A DOI:
- Does not guarantee indexing
- Does not imply peer review
- Does not validate research quality
When publishers oversell DOI registration without context, they contribute to misinformation and unrealistic expectations among authors.
Who Is Responsible for This Problem?
The uncomfortable answer is: everyone, to some extent.
- Researchers often do not verify DOI authenticity
- Publishers may prioritize speed over compliance
- Service providers may oversimplify DOI processes
- Institutions may lack DOI literacy
This collective lack of scrutiny has allowed unethical practices to spread quietly.
Why This Matters for the Future of Research
If DOI misuse continues unchecked, the long-term consequences could be severe:
- Erosion of trust in citations
- Increased difficulty in verifying sources
- Damaged reputation of legitimate journals
- Confusion for indexing agencies and libraries
Scholarly publishing relies on shared standards. When those standards are weakened, the entire ecosystem suffers.
What Ethical DOI Registration Should Look Like
Responsible DOI usage is not complicated but it does require discipline and transparency.
Ethical DOI registration includes:
- Proper metadata submission
- Permanent, accessible landing pages
- Clear ownership and publisher identity
- Ongoing maintenance and updates
Anything less reduces DOI to a cosmetic label rather than a meaningful identifier.
The Role of Professional DOI Service Providers
This is where professional DOI service providers play a critical role.
A responsible DOI service does not merely “sell DOIs.” Instead, it:
- Educates publishers and researchers
- Ensures technical correctness
- Maintains metadata quality
- Supports long-term accessibility
By acting as a bridge between publishers and DOI infrastructure, ethical service providers help restore trust rather than exploit ignorance.
A Call for Transparency and Awareness
The solution to DOI misuse is not more regulation it is greater awareness and accountability.
Researchers should:
- Verify DOI resolution and metadata
- Understand what a DOI does and does not mean
Publishers should:
- Be transparent about their DOI practices
- Avoid misleading claims
Service providers should:
- Clearly explain their role
- Avoid implying authority they do not have
Final Thoughts
The DOI system remains one of the most valuable tools in scholarly communication but only when used responsibly.
Ignoring the misuse of DOIs will only accelerate the erosion of trust in academic publishing. Addressing it openly, ethically, and professionally is the only way forward.
Controversial conversations like this may be uncomfortable but they are necessary if we want scholarly publishing to remain credible, transparent, and trustworthy.