Privacy Statement

<h3>AGTU Journal Portal Privacy Statement</h3>

<p><strong>Last updated:</strong> October 13, 2025</p>

<h4>1. Introduction</h4>
<p>The American Global Tech University (AGTU) Scientific Journal Portal, hereinafter referred to as the "Portal," is committed to protecting the privacy of its users, authors, reviewers, and readers. This privacy policy details how we collect, use, store, and protect personal data within the context of the editorial activities managed by the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform.</p>

<h4>2. Personal Data We Collect</h4>
<p>We collect personal information in different ways and at different times, including:</p>
<ul>
    <li><strong>User Registration:</strong> First name, last name, institutional affiliation, country, email address, ORCID iD (optional), and username.</li>
    <li><strong>Manuscript Submission:</strong> Information about all authors and co-authors (name, email, affiliation, ORCID iD), as well as the manuscript itself, which may contain personal data.</li>
    <li><strong>Communication:</strong> Records of correspondence exchanged between users (authors, reviewers, editors) and the editorial team through the platform or via email.</li>
</ul>

<h4>3. Purpose of Data Collection and Use</h4>
<p>The data collected is used strictly for the purposes of the scientific publishing process. These purposes include:</p>
<ul>
    <li><strong>Editorial Workflow Management:</strong> To register submissions, communicate with authors and reviewers, conduct the peer-review process, and make editorial decisions.</li>
    <li><strong>Article Publication:</strong> The names, affiliations, and ORCID iDs of the authors of accepted articles are published as part of the article, constituting the permanent academic record.</li>
    <li><strong>Indexing and Discoverability:</strong> Metadata of published articles (including author information) is shared with databases and indexers to increase the visibility and impact of the research.</li>
    <li><strong>Communication:</strong> To send important notifications about the status of a submission, review invitations, or information about new publications from the Portal (when authorized by the user).</li>
</ul>

<h4>4. Data Sharing and Disclosure</h4>
<p>The Portal does not sell or rent personal data to third parties. Data sharing occurs only in the following contexts:</p>
<ul>
    <li><strong>With Service Providers:</strong> Data is shared with DOI registration agencies (such as CrossRef), plagiarism-checking services, and digital preservation networks (such as LOCKSS), which are essential to the scholarly publishing ecosystem.</li>
    <li><strong>With Indexers:</strong> Metadata of published articles is collected by academic indexers (such as Google Scholar, Scielo, etc.).</li>
    <li><strong>As Required by Law:</strong> In cases of legal obligation or court order.</li>
</ul>
<p>The identity of reviewers is protected and is not disclosed to authors during or after the blind or double-blind peer-review process.</p>

<h4>5. Data Security</h4>
<p>We employ technical and administrative measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, or destruction. The OJS platform has role-based access control mechanisms, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive information.</p>

<h4>6. User Rights</h4>
<p>In accordance with applicable data protection laws (such as GDPR and LGPD), users have the right to:</p>
<ul>
    <li><strong>Access and Correct:</strong> Access their personal data and correct it at any time through their profile on the Portal.</li>
    <li><strong>Request Information:</strong> Request information about how their data is processed.</li>
    <li><strong>Withdraw Consent:</strong> Withdraw consent for data processing, where applicable.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Important:</strong> Once an article is published, the authors' data (name, affiliation) becomes part of the permanent scholarly record and cannot be removed.</p>

<h4>7. Use of Cookies</h4>
<p>Our Portal uses cookies that are essential for the platform's functionality, such as maintaining a user's logged-in session. We do not use cookies for tracking or advertising purposes.</p>

<h4>8. Contact</h4>
<p>For any questions about this privacy policy or to exercise your rights, please contact the Portal team via email at: <strong>[Insert contact email here, e.g., privacy.journals@agtu.edu]</strong></p>