Text and data mining

AM is always interested in supporting research initiatives and learning more about how our products are used. 

AM recognises the benefits that Data Mining has for new research in the Humanities and Social Sciences and we are committed to enabling these research methods on the following principles: 

1. We allow Data Mining/Text Analysis by "Authorised Users" for fair use/academic research.

2. Secure transfer of data to a university server can be made via FTP on submission of the information form.

3. Data can be extracted from the main collection website by automated software if we are informed about this so we can monitor server performance and reserve the right to restrict this operation if it impacts standard online usage for our customers generally.

4. We are committed, where possible, to apply text analysis and data visualisation functionality within our latest products.

Data mining as an activity is no different from all other usage of our products. It has to conform to all the standard requirements in our licence agreement e.g. it is carried out by Authorised Users under Fair Use academic purposes.

Extract of Standard User Licence Agreement:

Subject to all other provisions of our User Licence Agreement and save for the circumstances (as set out in section III of this Agreement) in which the Licensor’s prior written consent is required, the Licensee and the Authorised Users may use the Licensed Materials to perform and engage in text mining /data mining activities in relation to the Licensed Materials for legitimate academic research and other non-commercial educational purposes, without obtaining the Licensor’s prior written consent.

Restrictions on Data Mining

Electronic analysis of data from our products is permitted as outlined above; however there are two key elements that mean we have to have additional processes in place to ensure the following:

1. Performance of live product websites for standard usage are not damaged by automated data mining software crawling online websites.

2. Large volumes Data extracted or full data sets provided from the products are stored in a secure way that does not risk the availability of that data to unauthorized/open usage and therefore risk breaching User Licence agreement

As a result, any significant automated data extraction or provision of large volumes of data is unauthorised without receiving written request and in offline data supply; permission being granted in writing. As long as suitable assurances as to the purpose and security of the research is assured on completion of a form then this provision will not be unreasonably withheld.

Extract of relevant section of standard user licence agreement:

Section III

In order to protect the integrity of server performance for the Licensee’s customers, automated extraction of data directly from the Licensed Materials online (for example only, by the use of data mining software) is only permitted after notification to the Licensor for performance monitoring purposes, and if such automatic extraction of data does not affect the performance of the Licensor’s servers. In the event that the Licensor’s servers are negatively impacted, the Licensor reserves the right to decline and prevent access to the Licensed Materials to stop any disruption to the Licensor’s business.

Making data available outside of the main website

As standard with no further permissions: 

1. Secure transfer of data to a university server can be made via FTP on submission of the information form.

2. An offline copy of data provided on a hard drive for secure local storage and analysis. Under current agreements this is limited to a 3 year storage period after which time a renewal can be requested or if project complete, the original data (not any research material) deleted.

Extract of relevant part of licence:

On submission to the Licensor of completed form outlined in Appendix A, an offline copy of data from the Licensed Materials for Data/Text Mining purposes can be made available to be securely hosted locally and accessed by Authorized Users. Local hosting for each Data/ Text Mining purpose must not exceed five years unless further written consent is provided by Licensor; after which agreed period the data must be returned or confirmed as destroyed within 15 days.

Licensor and copyright holder of Licensed Materials must be acknowledged in published text analysis research results derived from the Licensed Materials.

Please provide as much information in the form as you can in response to the following questions.

All use of original source data and the results of searching and extracting data therefrom shall be in strict accordance with the terms of the AM License Agreement and copyright law. Any other use is prohibited.