Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
At RJOY Journal, we are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your data in compliance with international privacy standards.
Information We Collect
We collect information to provide better services to our users, authors, reviewers, and readers. The data we collect falls into the following categories:
Personal Information
Information that identifies you as an individual:
- Full name and professional title
- Email address and contact information
- Institutional affiliation
- Academic qualifications
- ORCID identifier
Technical Information
Automatically collected technical data:
- IP address and device type
- Browser type and version
- Operating system information
- Referring website URLs
- Connection speed and location data
Usage Information
How you interact with our services:
- Pages visited and time spent
- Articles accessed and downloaded
- Search queries performed
- Submission and review activities
- Download patterns and preferences
Communication Data
Information from your interactions with us:
- Email correspondence
- Submission cover letters
- Reviewer comments
- Feedback and survey responses
- Support requests
Important Notice Regarding Manuscript Data
Submitted manuscripts and associated data are handled with strict confidentiality during the review process. Only authorized editorial staff and assigned reviewers have access to unpublished manuscripts.
Once published, manuscripts become part of the public scholarly record, but author personal information remains protected according to this policy.
How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for specific, legitimate purposes related to academic publishing and journal operations:
Primary Purposes
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Manuscript Processing
To manage submissions, peer review, editing, and publication of scholarly articles.
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Communication
To communicate about submissions, reviews, editorial decisions, and journal updates.
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Service Improvement
To analyze usage patterns and improve journal functionality and user experience.
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Authentication
To verify author and reviewer identities and prevent fraudulent activities.
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Compliance
To meet legal obligations and respond to legitimate government requests.
Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal data based on the following legal grounds:
Consent: When you explicitly consent to specific processing activities.
Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our publishing agreements with authors.
Legitimate Interests: For journal operations, security, and improvements.
Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Data Protection & Security
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Encryption
All data transmissions use TLS/SSL encryption
Access Control
Role-based access with multi-factor authentication
Regular Audits
Quarterly security assessments and vulnerability scans
Data Backup
Daily encrypted backups with 90-day retention
Staff Training & Confidentiality
All editorial staff and contractors undergo regular privacy training and sign confidentiality agreements. Access to personal data is strictly limited to personnel who need it to perform their duties.
Data Breach Protocol: In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will notify affected individuals and relevant authorities within 72 hours of discovery, as required by applicable laws.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, analyze traffic, and personalize content. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Third-Party Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how users interact with our journal. This service may collect information about your device, browsing actions, and patterns. You can opt-out of Google Analytics through their opt-out browser add-on.
Cookie Consent: Upon first visit, you will be presented with a cookie consent banner where you can customize your preferences. You can change these settings at any time through our cookie preferences center.
Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
Access Right
Request a copy of your personal data we hold
Correction Right
Request correction of inaccurate personal data
Deletion Right
Request deletion of your personal data
Portability Right
Receive your data in a structured format
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy-rjoy@yogx.in. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
Verification: We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests to prevent unauthorized access to personal information.
Third-Party Services
We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our journal. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.
Service Providers
| Service Provider | Purpose | Data Shared | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email Service | Communication with authors and reviewers | Email addresses, names | EU/US |
| Analytics | Usage statistics and improvement | Anonymous usage data | Global |
| Cloud Storage | Secure manuscript storage | Manuscripts, metadata | EU |
| Plagiarism Check | Manuscript originality verification | Manuscript text | Global |
Academic & Research Partners
We may share anonymized, aggregated data with research partners and indexing services for scholarly purposes. This data does not identify individuals.
No Sale of Data: RJOY Journal does not sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.
Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
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Author Information
Retained indefinitely for published articles to maintain scholarly record and proper attribution.
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Reviewer Information
Retained for 5 years after last activity to maintain reviewer database and expertise records.
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Unpublished Manuscripts
Retained for 2 years after final decision, then securely deleted.
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Website Usage Data
Retained for 3 years for analytical purposes, then anonymized.
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Communication Records
Retained for 7 years for legal and compliance purposes.
Secure Deletion
When data is no longer needed, we use secure deletion methods that prevent recovery. This includes physical destruction of storage media and multiple overwriting of digital data.
International Data Transfers
As an international scholarly journal, we may transfer and process personal information in countries outside your country of residence. We ensure adequate protection through:
Standard Contractual Clauses: We use EU-approved standard contractual clauses with service providers outside the European Economic Area.
Adequacy Decisions: We transfer data to countries with adequacy decisions from the European Commission.
Explicit Consent: Where required, we obtain explicit consent for international transfers.
Primary Processing Locations
Our primary data processing occurs in India and the European Union. All international transfers comply with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR for EU residents.
Policy Updates
We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements.
Notification of Changes
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Website Posting
Updated policies will be posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date.
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Email Notification
For significant changes, we will notify registered users via email.
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Consent for Material Changes
Material changes that expand our use of personal data will require renewed consent.
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Archived Versions
Previous versions of this policy will be archived and available upon request.
Your Continued Use
Your continued use of RJOY Journal after any changes to this policy constitutes acceptance of those changes. If you do not agree with the updated policy, you should discontinue use of our services.
Contact Information
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Data Protection Officer
For privacy-related inquiries and data rights requests:
Postal Address
Research Journal of Yoga
C/o YogX
College Road, Qadian, India 143516
Supervisory Authority: If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.