[withinboredom]

I think it has to be this way, right? Otherwise a paid reviewer will have obvious biases from the company.

[ksenzee]

It seems to me that paying them for their time would remove bias, rather than add it.

[nativeit]

How is that?

[flir]

I guess the sensible response is "what bias does being paid by Elsevier add that working for free for Elsevier doesn't add?"

The external bias is clear to me (maybe a paper undermines something you're about to publish, for example) but I honestly can't see much additional bias in adding cash to a relationship that already exists.

[ksenzee]

Exactly. At least if the work is paid, the incentive to do it is clearer.