Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 01.04.2024
Last Updated: 07.08.2026

This Privacy Policy outlines how the Balkan Journal of Philosophy ("we", "our", or "the Journal") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our journal management system (the "Platform").

By registering, submitting papers, or participating as a reviewer, author, or editor on the Platform, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

• User Registration Information: Name, email address, affiliation, and password.
• Submission Data: Metadata associated with submitted manuscripts (title, abstract, keywords, co-authors, etc.).
• Reviewer Information: Reviewer profiles and comments submitted during peer review.
• Activity Logs: Information about actions taken on the system (e.g., submissions, reviews, editorial decisions).
• Cookies and Tracking: If you accept cookies, we may use them to keep the Platform functional, remember your preferences, improve your experience, and analyze usage data.

2. Purpose of Data Collection

Your data is collected and used strictly for the purposes of:

• Managing submissions and peer reviews.
• Facilitating communication between authors, reviewers, and editors.
• Maintaining the integrity and transparency of the editorial process.
• Sending system notifications and journal updates.
• Ensuring system security and auditing user activity when necessary.

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We collect and process your personal data based on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Your Consent – when you register or agree to specific uses.
• Contractual Necessity – for fulfilling our responsibilities related to submissions, peer review, and publication.
• Legitimate Interest – for maintaining a secure and functional platform.
• Legal Obligation – to comply with legal or regulatory requirements, including research integrity and archiving.

4. Cookies

When you visit the Platform, we may store cookies on your device to:

• Maintain your login session while you use the Platform.
• Keep you logged in across sessions if you choose "Remember Me". The remember-me cookie uses a secure random token and does not store your password.
• Store cookie preferences.
• Support security controls and prevent unauthorized access.
• Analyze usage data and improve the Platform.

You may disable cookies through your browser settings, but some features of the site may not function properly.

5. Data Sharing and Access

Your personal data is not shared with third parties for marketing purposes. However, your data may be accessed by:

• Editorial Team Members: For purposes of editorial and peer review management.
• Technical Administrators: To maintain, debug, and improve the system.
• Reviewers: If you submit a paper, anonymous versions of your manuscript may be shared with selected reviewers.

We may also share data with authorities if legally required to do so.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes described in this policy.
• Maintain an archive of the editorial and review history of published content.
• Comply with legal or scholarly retention requirements.

Inactive accounts may be anonymized or deleted after an extended period of inactivity.

7. Your Rights

Under applicable laws (including GDPR), you have the right to:

• Access your personal data.
• Correct or update your information.
• Withdraw consent (where applicable).
• Request deletion of your data (subject to scholarly record retention).
• Object to or restrict processing of your data.
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: balkanjournalofphilosophy@gmail.com

8. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access. These include:

• Password hashing and secure authentication mechanisms.
• Role-based access controls.
• HTTPS encryption for data transmission.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. All changes will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Continued use of the Platform constitutes your agreement to the revised policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact:

Balkan Journal of Philosophy
Email: balkanjournalofphilosophy@gmail.com
Website: https://www.balkanjournalofphilosophy.eu/