The recent UK law providing an exception to copyright for text and data mining gives Elsevier the right to require that access is only through the API provided they do make them accessible without &quot;unreasonable&quot; restrictions. I think that&#x27;s perfectly fair, and they don&#x27;t need an &quot;excuse&quot;. See:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.elsevier.com&#x2F;connect&#x2F;how-does-elseviers-text-mining-policy-work-with-new-uk-tdm-law" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.elsevier.com&#x2F;connect&#x2F;how-does-elseviers-text-min...</a>