Takedown Policy

Introduction

The University takes reasonable steps to ensure that any dataset and associated metadata published in the Research Data Archive are an accurate and authentic output of research undertaken at the University, that the dataset does not breach any law, and that it does not violate or infringe any copyright, trademark, patent or intellectual property right whatsoever of any person(s) or organisation.

A dataset will only be withdrawn from the Archive either in accordance with the terms of retention specified in the Collection Policy or on receipt of a valid and proven complaint.

Grounds for complaint

The following are grounds for complaint:

• Violation of intellectual property rights (including copyright);
• Legislative breach (e.g. data protection, defamation);
• Matters of national security;
• Falsification or misrepresentation of data, plagiarism or failure to follow ethical guidelines.

Complaint procedure

To make a complaint, contact the Research Daa Service in writing at researchdata@reading.ac.uk with the following information:

• Your name and contact details;
• A reference to the dataset in question, including the DOI or URL;
• Details of the complaint, including the ground of complaint and any evidence.

The Research Data Service will acknowledge receipt of the complaint in writing within 5 working days. The complaint will be investigated and a full response will be provided within twenty working days, detailing the outcome of the investigation and of any action taken as a result. If it is not possible to conclude the investigation within twenty working days, a preliminary response will be provided within this time, along with an indication of the time required to conclude the investigation and provide a full response.

If the complaint is proven, the dataset may be permanently withdrawn from the Archive.

Unless there is good reason to permanently delete a dataset, withdrawn datasets will not be deleted. The metadata record for a withdrawn item will be retained indefinitely, and modified to record the withdrawal of the data and any relevant information.

Disclaimer

To the extent permitted by law, the Archive shall not be held liable for content or material which infringes the rights of any third party. The Archive seeks to retain the good will and favour of rights-holders. To this end every effort will be made to accommodate requests and negotiate compromise. This may include the replacement of a dataset with a modified version that is acceptable to the complainant, amendment of the terms of access to a dataset or the licensing terms associated with its data files, or upholding an embargo period before making a dataset available.