Privacy Statement

The Journal Draft (“the Journal”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all authors, reviewers, editors, and readers who interact with our website and manuscript-management system. This Privacy Statement outlines what information we collect, how we use it, and the rights available to users under applicable data-protection laws, including India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act 2023) and international best practices.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Data Provided by Users

When you submit a manuscript, register an account, review a submission, or communicate with the Journal, we may collect:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Institutional affiliation

  • Country/region

  • ORCID ID or other researcher identifiers

  • Contact number (optional)

  • Academic/professional profile details

  • Any data you voluntarily provide during submission or review

1.2 Automatically Collected Data

When you browse our website or use our OJS platform, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address

  • Browser type, operating system, device type

  • Access times and pages viewed

  • Cookies and usage analytics (if enabled)

All automatically collected data is used strictly for security, stability, and performance improvement.

2. Purpose and Legal Basis for Data Use

We process personal data only for legitimate journal-related purposes, including:

  • Manuscript handling, peer review, and editorial decision-making

  • Communication with authors, reviewers, and editors

  • Publication workflow and record maintenance

  • Website administration, performance, and security monitoring

  • Indexing, archiving, and DOI registration

  • Anonymized analytics and reporting

  • Compliance with legal or ethical obligations

Legal Basis (Global Compliance Style):

  • Consent – when you register or submit a manuscript

  • Legitimate Interest – ensuring journal operations, integrity, and security

  • Contractual Necessity – fulfilling editorial and publication processes

  • Legal Obligation – compliance with copyright, archival, or regulatory requirements

3. Data Sharing and Third-Party Disclosure

We do not sell or lease personal information to any third party.

Personal data may be shared only with:

  • Our journal’s hosting provider and technical service partners

  • Indexing and archiving services (DOI agencies, LOCKSS/CLOCKSS, Crossref, etc.)

  • External reviewers assigned to the manuscript (minimum required data only)

  • Regulatory bodies if required by applicable law

All such sharing is restricted to the specific purpose of operating the journal.

4. Cross-Border Data Transfer

As an international open-access journal, some personal data may be stored, processed, or accessed in servers located outside your country.

Compliance Measures:

  • We ensure that transfers follow the requirements of the DPDP Act 2023 for Indian users.

  • For users from other regions (e.g., EU/UK), we apply GDPR-aligned principles of appropriate safeguards and necessity.

  • Only minimal required data is transferred across borders.

By using our platform, you consent to such cross-border data transfers where necessary for journal operations.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal and submission-related data for:

  • As long as required to fulfill editorial and publication responsibilities

  • As long as necessary to maintain accurate historical and archival records

  • As required by institutional, ethical, or regulatory obligations

Technical logs may be stored for shorter periods unless needed for security analysis.

Published articles are permanently archived as part of the scholarly record, including metadata such as author names, affiliations, and ORCID IDs.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate organizational and technical safeguards to protect personal data, including:

  • Access-controlled editorial systems

  • Encryption for data transmission where supported

  • Secure server hosting

  • Regular software maintenance and security updates

  • Restricted access to editorial and administrative staff

However, no system can guarantee 100% security; users share information at their discretion.

7. Your Rights

Depending on applicable law, users may have rights such as:

  • Right to Access – request a copy of your personal data

  • Right to Correction – update or correct inaccurate data

  • Right to Deletion/Erasure (where supported)

  • Right to Withdraw Consent – for data processed based on your consent

  • Right to Data Portability (if applicable)

  • Right to Object – for certain types of processing

Under the DPDP Act (India), you also have the right to:

  • Know how your data is processed

  • Nominate another person to exercise your rights in case of your incapacity (if applicable)

  • File a grievance regarding incorrect or misuse of personal data

Requests can be sent to our editorial office via the contact email provided on the journal website.

8. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies for:

  • Session management

  • Login authentication

  • Improved user experience

  • Basic traffic analytics

You may disable cookies in your browser settings; however, certain features may not work as intended.

9. Confidentiality of Review Process

  • All submission and review materials are treated as confidential.

  • Reviewer identities are kept anonymous (double-blind review) unless a reviewer chooses otherwise.

  • Manuscripts under review will not be used for personal research or shared outside the editorial team.

10. Updates to This Privacy Statement

This Privacy Statement may be updated periodically to reflect changes in policies, technologies, or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on the journal website. Continued use of the site constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.