Privacy Policy

Science Scholar Limited ("we", "us", or "our") operates the Core Collection website (core-collection.com). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Register for an account
• Submit a manuscript
• Subscribe to our newsletter
• Contact us through our website
• Participate in peer review

This information may include:

• Name and title
• Email address
• Institutional affiliation
• ORCID identifier
• Country of residence
• Research interests

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website
• Date and time of access

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process manuscript submissions and manage peer review
• Communicate with you about your submissions
• Send editorial decisions and publication notifications
• Manage your account and provide customer support
• Send newsletters and announcements (with your consent)
• Improve our website and services
• Comply with legal obligations
• Analyze website usage and trends

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process your personal data based on:

• Contract: Processing necessary to fulfill our agreement with you (e.g., manuscript submission)
• Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent (e.g., newsletters)
• Legal Obligation: Processing necessary to comply with legal requirements

4. Information Sharing

We may share your information with:

• Peer Reviewers: Your manuscript (anonymized in double-blind review) is shared with reviewers
• Co-authors: Submission details are visible to all listed co-authors
• Service Providers: Third-party companies that help us operate our website and services
• Indexing Services: Published article metadata is shared with academic databases
• Legal Authorities: When required by law or to protect our rights

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Maintain your account and provide services
• Preserve the scientific record (published articles and peer review history)
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements

Published articles and associated author information are retained permanently as part of the scholarly record. Account information for inactive accounts may be deleted after 5 years of inactivity.

7. Your Rights

Under applicable data protection laws, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data (subject to legal limitations)
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing
• Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@core-collection.com.

8. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, access controls, and regular security assessments.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for individuals under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

14. Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your personal data violates applicable law. In the UK, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).