Privacy Statement

Introduction

At Pubdigi ("we," "us," or "our"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your information when you use our platform, which is built on the Open Journal Systems (OJS) framework to assist professors and academic professionals with journal hosting and certification services. By using our platform, you agree to the practices outlined below.

1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
•    Personal Information: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, and contact details (if provided).
•    Usage Data: IP address, browser type and version, pages visited, and timestamps of your activity.
•    Content and Review Data: Article metadata (e.g., title, abstract, keywords, authors), full-text submissions, reviewer comments, ratings, and editorial decisions.

2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
•    Provide and maintain our services, such as managing article submissions, peer reviews, and journal certification.
•    Communicate with you regarding submission statuses, review feedback, or platform updates.
•    Improve our platform by analyzing usage data to enhance user experience.
•    Comply with legal and regulatory obligations, such as responding to lawful requests.

3. How We Share Your Information
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
•    With Service Providers: We share data with third-party providers (e.g., hosting services, payment processors) to support platform operations.
•    With Journal Partners: If applicable, we may share data with academic institutions or societies for subscription or certification purposes.
•    For Legal Reasons: We may disclose information to comply with legal obligations or respond to government requests.

4. Data Security
We implement reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction, including:
•    Encryption of data in transit using Transport Layer Security (TLS/SSL).
•    Internal audits and physical security measures for our storage systems.
However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is entirely secure. In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users as required by law.

5. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your information:
•    Access, update, or delete your personal data.
•    Opt out of certain communications, such as marketing emails.
•    Request data portability or restriction of processing, where applicable.
To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@pubdigi.com
We use cookies and similar technologies to track usage and improve our platform. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings, such as disabling or deleting cookies.

7. International Data Transfers
If your data is transferred outside your country, we ensure compliance with applicable data protection laws, such as through standard contractual clauses or other safeguards.

8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on the platform or communicated via email, with the updated effective date noted below.

9. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us at support@pubdigi.com.
Effective Date: March, 2025