Update: We've just received an email from Thomson Reuters, stating that the letter was sent to us in error. We hope that, in future, explicit permission is sought in every instance, not just in our case. Dear Nikhil On 20 August 2014, Thomson Reuters sent you a letter regarding the use of certain content on your website. The letter you received was sent in error. No content will be used without your express permission. We apologise for the error. Kind regards Kate Brown Updated below with an email we sent to Thomson Reuters (just for fun) We received an email from Thomson Reuters last evening, informing us that unless we write back to them in 14 days denying them the use of our articles, they will take the lack of refusal, as an indication of consent to use them. What's more, they will presume that we have given them the "right to use, incorporate and distribute the Content in its Services to its subscribers and to permit such subscribers to use and redistribute the Content." This is unprofessional and unethical of Thomson Reuters: A lack of refusal to consent does not amount to giving consent, and I doubt that this rationale will hold up in the court of law. The email (copied below, with email address details redacted) appears to be a templated one, which suggests that it might have been sent to others as well. What if the email is sent to an address that is rarely used? That's one easy way for…
