Now, we will have a debate about preprints between @jessicapolka and @kanderson. I hope we will have less of a formal debate seeking a "winner" and more of an opportunity to learn about the array of issues. @_IanMoss is moderating. #STMAnnualUS 
Polka shares "tremendous growth" of preprints, including new services some associated with incumbent publishers. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: A significant share of coronavirus research is being issued as preprints. And as preprints grow in significant, there are also valid concerns about malicious or invalid results. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: There are fewer barriers today to sharing non-peer reviewed information, some not at all constructive. Some researchers are speaking directly with the media without sharing research findings or methods. Blogposts circulate widely, some with little grounding. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: These issues are highlighting the value of peer review. But peer review is never perfect. And the process of science is one of an iterative search for truth. Even peer reviewed findings are retracted from time to time. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: The question before us today is how to maximize the benefits of preprints while minimizing the dangers? #STMAnnualUS
Polka cites the bioaRxiv in silico policy as an example of trying to strike the balance appropriately. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: Preprints allow commenting and correction at an earlier stage of research when authors are able to accept feedback and improve a paper in progress. #STMAnnualUS
Polka: The feedback being provided comes through social media, privately, and not just through the actual preprint service public commenting channel. #STMAnnualUS
Polka smartly calls for greater transparency about editorial and review processes not only for preprints but also for the traditional scholarly literature. #STMAnnualUS
Now to Anderson: As I started to look into preprint services, I found that they do not add up. Preprints are enablers of the scientific behavior of working around the traditional literature. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: These preprint services are holding drafted, or in-process, or abandoned papers. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Journals are already providing speedy review/publishing based on when it is necessary to do so, as we have seen with the Covid crisis. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: If preprints are deposited after being submitted to the accepting journal, there is no benefit from "open review" - and there is no clear evidence about the timeline, so he asserts there is no real improvement taking place. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Shares his anecdotal impressions that authors use preprint platforms to meet OA mandates and to market themselves. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Expresses concern that preprint services host all too many rejected and unpublishable and abandoned works. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Facebook, which is the most dangerous company in the world, has actually been more proactive in setting Covid policy than have the preprint services. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Preprint services give the authors almost everything they want (DOI, public presence, etc) without having to go through peer review. It is changing the culture of science and enabling hucksters. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Preprint services are not financially sustainable. arXiv was already running a substantial deficit before Covid. bioaRxiv's "laundered Facebook money" appears to be expiring. #STMAnnualUS
Anderson: Several recommendations. 1) No DOI. 2) Remove preprints that don't get published in some reasonable period of time. 3) Journals shouldn't allow citation of preprints. Preprints should return to being private feedback on early drafts. #STMAnnualUS
Moss: Peer review? Anderson: In the best cases, it is shorthand for editorial selection, plus anonymized outside review, statistical review, professional copyediting. How good/widespread is this? It varies. But, preprints never do this. #STMAnnualUS
Moss: Is it fair to judge preprints by this crisis? Anderson: Even outside of the crisis, there have been enough problems with preprints causing confusion, promoting facetious hypothesis, etc. Polka: This is an opportunity to maximize the benefits. #STMAnnualUS
My view: I absolutely HATE the term "preprint servers" -- these are SERVICES (or perhaps platforms) not SERVERS. Thank you. :) #STMAnnualUS
