Privacy and Cookie Policy

PRIVACY AND COOKIE POLICY

1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The purpose of this Privacy and Cookie Policy is to explain the general principles under which the data, content, account information, system records, usage behavior, and cookie data of Platform users are collected, processed, stored, protected, transferred, and how cookies are used.

This Policy applies to all natural and legal persons who create memberships through the Platform, submit applications, purchase services, upload articles or files, register for events, obtain sponsorship services, create user accounts, communicate with the Platform, or otherwise use the Platform in any manner.

2. PRIVACY AND SECURITY PRINCIPLES

The Seller implements reasonable technical, administrative, and organizational measures appropriate to the nature of the service in order to protect user data and system records. However, the internet, open networks, e-mail systems, third-party services, API connections, domain name and hosting infrastructures, cloud services, artificial intelligence / LLM services, and electronic communication systems do not provide absolute security.

Accordingly, the user acknowledges and agrees that, due to the nature of digital environments, it is not technically possible to eliminate all security risks, risks of data loss, risks of data leakage, access interruptions, delays, or external technical failures completely.

The Seller does not undertake to eliminate in full all risks arising from malicious attacks, cyber threats, third-party service failures, user errors, account security negligence, network problems, integration issues, or force majeure events.

3. DATA AND RECORDS THAT MAY BE COLLECTED

Depending on the nature of the service, the following categories of data and records may be collected, generated, or processed during the use of the Platform:

• membership and account information,

• application, order, and transaction data,

• payment, invoicing, and collection information,

• academic content,

• published or unpublished works,

• drafts, preprints, revision files, and attachments,

• file uploads and related metadata,

• texts, visuals, tables, documents, and other content provided by the user,

• author details, institutional details, ORCID and similar identifiers,

• communication records, support requests, and correspondence,

• usage habits and browsing data,

• IP addresses, log records, device data, browser information, session information, and traffic data,

• cookie data,

• security signals, risk scores, and misuse detection records,

• error logs, system performance records, transaction history, and audit records.

The Seller may keep comprehensive system records, logs, audit trails, and transaction histories for the purposes of system security, service continuity, error analysis, evidence management, misuse prevention, fraud detection, ethics risk review, and operational improvement.

4. PURPOSES OF USE OF DATA

Collected data and generated records may be used for the following purposes:

• provision and performance of services,

• membership and account management,

• management of order, registration, and application processes,

• administration of events, training, conferences, and sponsorship processes,

• management of article, peer review, editorial, and technical workflows,

• hosting, presenting, classifying, and associating content,

• quality control, content verification, and process optimization,

• security, account protection, misuse prevention, and preservation of system integrity,

• plagiarism, ethics compliance, and risk reviews,

• AI / LLM-based classification, recommendation, summarization, search, matching, and association,

• performance analysis, product development, and user experience improvement,

• fulfillment of legal obligations,

• establishment, exercise, and protection of legal rights, and evidence creation in the event of disputes,

• internal audit, information security, and administrative audit processes.

5. LIMITATIONS REGARDING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF ACADEMIC CONTENT

Published or unpublished academic content uploaded to the Platform may, by the nature of the system, be included in technical, editorial, operational, security, indexing, reporting, quality control, classification, recommendation, association, or AI-supported processes.

The user acknowledges that no guarantee is given that the content uploaded to the Platform will be processed exclusively through human review, within entirely closed systems, or without any technical or automated analysis.

The user understands and accepts that, due to the nature of the service, uploaded content may be processed, analyzed, classified, summarized, and associated by algorithmic systems, recommendation engines, artificial intelligence / LLM infrastructures, indexing connections, search systems, and content-processing components.

6. USER OBLIGATIONS

The user is obliged to:

• protect their account and login credentials,

• keep their password confidential,

• immediately report any suspicion of unauthorized access or security breach,

• ensure the lawfulness of the content they upload,

• maintain independent backups where necessary,

• possess the necessary legal grounds and permissions regarding third-party data,

• provide the required notices and obtain explicit consents where necessary for data relating to co-authors, research participants, students, clients, institutional representatives, or other third parties,

• assume responsibility for the upload of content containing special categories of personal data, health data, children’s data, biometric data, or other high-risk data.

Any legal, administrative, technical, or criminal liability arising from the user’s uploaded content, declarations, data entries, incomplete or inaccurate information, unlawful data sharing, or failure to obtain necessary permissions shall rest with the user.

7. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES AND LIMITED CONTROL

The Platform may use third-party services for payment, security, e-mail, domain name, hosting, cloud infrastructure, analytics, indexing, artificial intelligence / LLM, integrations, logging, storage, communication, and performance services.

The Seller does not exercise absolute control over the operating methods, data processing methods, security levels, service continuity, delays, interruptions, quota limitations, API changes, policy changes, or technical failures of such service providers.

Accordingly, the Seller shall not be held liable for interruptions, delays, errors, data inconsistencies, integration issues, indexing problems, delays in content reflection, visibility issues, security vulnerabilities, or differences in data processing arising from third-party services.

8. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

Cookies and similar technologies may be used on the Platform to ensure the functioning of the service and the continuity of user experience.

The Platform may use the following types of cookies:

• strictly necessary cookies,

• functional cookies,

• analytical cookies,

• performance cookies,

• advertising / targeting cookies,

• security and session cookies.

These cookies may be used for purposes such as maintaining user sessions, secure login procedures, remembering preferences, ensuring system security, generating usage statistics, conducting performance analysis, improving services, detecting errors, and enhancing user experience.

9. MANAGEMENT OF COOKIES

The user may reject, delete, or restrict cookies through browser settings or device preferences. However, if certain cookies are disabled, some parts of the Platform, security functions, login mechanisms, or certain service features may not function properly.

Strictly necessary cookies may be required for the secure and technical operation of the service.

10. THIRD-PARTY COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

The Platform may use cookies or similar tracking technologies belonging to third-party analytics, advertising, security, performance, or integration services. The operation, data collection methods, storage periods, and policy content of such technologies are subject to the rules of the relevant third-party provider.

The Seller may not have direct or complete control over all technical details of third-party cookies and tracking technologies.

11. AI / LLM AND EXTENSIVE RECORD-KEEPING PRACTICES

For the purposes of Platform security, service quality, user experience, content processing, recommendation systems, ethics risk detection, misuse prevention, error analysis, and evidence management, extensive system records, transaction histories, log records, access records, risk signals, and usage data may be maintained.

In addition, user content, academic files, metadata, application data, transaction records, and interactions may be processed by AI / LLM-based systems and automated analysis tools for the purposes of service provision, security, quality control, content classification, recommendation, and association.

The user acknowledges that such record-keeping and processing activities form part of the legitimate, technical, operational, and legal functioning of the Platform.

12. RETENTION

Data, content, log records, audit trails, and transaction histories may be retained for the period necessary for legal obligations, legitimate interests, performance of contractual relationships, service security, misuse prevention, internal audit, dispute resolution, evidence management, and legal defense.

When determining the retention period, the nature of the service, the category of data, legal obligations, technical requirements, security needs, and possible dispute risks may be taken into account.

13. FOREIGN-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURES AND TRANSFER RISK

Some cloud infrastructures, API services, artificial intelligence / LLM services, analytics tools, security solutions, and technical services used may be located abroad or connected to foreign jurisdictions.

In this context, the user acknowledges that the use of foreign-related systems may arise from technical, operational, and service-related necessities, and that the Seller does not have full control over the performance, local laws, technical standards, or data processing methods of such systems.

14. EVIDENCE, INTERNAL AUDIT, AND DISPUTE MANAGEMENT

The Seller may retain and use system records, logs, e-mail records, session records, transaction histories, security signals, access data, and technical audit records for the purposes of service performance, breach investigations, security assessments, internal audits, evidence management, and legal defense.

The user acknowledges that such records generated as part of the digital functioning of the Platform may be taken into account in the event of a dispute.

15. UPDATES TO THE POLICY

The Seller may unilaterally update this Policy in line with changes in legislation, technical requirements, infrastructure changes, service updates, security requirements, or changes in commercial structure.

The updated text shall enter into force as of the date it is published on the Platform and shall apply to subsequent uses.