Changes Coming to SSRN, and They Aren’t Good […or Maybe Not for Now — Updated 6/5]

Professor Bainbridge has an insightful write-up here, entitled “The Social Science Research Network Has Jumped the Shark.” Some highlights:

The UCLA Law Library has notified our faulty that SSRN has announced “significant and unwelcome changes,” including:

1. 1. SSRN is discontinuing its Research Paper Series at the end of July.
   2. Already-published papers and book chapters will no longer be eligible for posting on SSRN after July.
   3. SSRN will require authors submitting preprints or working papers to select a CC-BY license. A CC-BY license permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the work, including for commercial purposes, so long as appropriate attribution is given.

Read Professor Bainbridge’s full post here.

Added 6/5/26: Professor Bainbridge has an update: SSRN Responds to My Complaints With Changes and/or Clarifications. Looks like worst won’t come to pass (yet). Read Professor Bainbridge’s update here. The full SSRN statement is here.