Privacy Statement

Privacy Statement

At AcademicPubs, we are committed to protecting your personal data and maintaining transparency about how we collect, use, and safeguard your information. This Privacy Statement outlines our practices in compliance with global data protection regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable laws.

1. Data Collection
We collect only the information necessary for scholarly communication, including author names, affiliations, contact details, and ORCID identifiers. For website visitors, we gather anonymized analytics to improve user experience. Payment information is processed securely through PCI-compliant third-party services and never stored on our servers.

2. Purpose of Data Use
Your information enables us to:

• Process submissions and conduct peer review

• Communicate about your manuscript

• Deliver published content to readers

• Improve our services through analytics

• Comply with legal and tax obligations

3. Data Protection Measures
We implement robust security protocols including:

• AES-256 encryption for all stored data

• Regular security audits and penetration testing

• Strict access controls with multi-factor authentication

• Secure backup systems with geographic redundancy

4. Third-Party Sharing
Information is shared only when essential with:

• Peer reviewers (anonymized where applicable)

• Indexing services (Crossref, DOAJ, etc.)

• Payment processors (for APC transactions)

• Preservation archives (CLOCKSS, Portico)

5. Your Rights
You may:

• Access your personal data we hold

• Request corrections to inaccurate information

• Withdraw consent for communications

• Request data deletion (where permissible)

• Object to specific processing activities

6. Cookies and Tracking
Our website uses essential cookies for functionality and optional analytics cookies to improve services. You can manage preferences through our cookie banner. We do not engage in cross-site tracking or sell user data to advertisers.

7. International Data Transfers
As a global publisher, data may be transferred internationally using GDPR-approved safeguards like Standard Contractual Clauses. Our servers are located in jurisdictions with strong data protection laws.

8. Retention Periods
We retain:

• Author data indefinitely for scholarly record integrity

• Reviewer data for 5 years (to track contributions)

• Website analytics for 26 months

• Financial records for 7 years as required by law

9. Special Protections
We implement additional safeguards for:

• Early career researchers

• Authors from high-risk regions

• Sensitive health research data

• Protected personal characteristics

10. Policy Updates
This statement is reviewed annually. Significant changes will be announced through our website and email notifications. The current version was updated on [Date].

For questions or to exercise your rights, contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@academicpubs.org