Archiving and Privacy Policy

ARCHIVING POLICY

AJESS is committed to ensuring long-term digital preservation and accessibility of all published content. The journal follows international best practices in archiving and digital preservation.

  1. Digital Archiving and Preservation
  • LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) system is used to ensure content remains permanently available and accessible. This decentralized preservation system safeguards AJESS publications against data loss, corruption, and server failures.
  • CLOCKSS (Controlled Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) is also utilized for additional security, ensuring that all content remains accessible even if the journal ceases operations.
  • AJESS collaborates with university libraries, national archives, and institutional repositories to preserve published articles.
  • All content published in AJESS is assigned a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to ensure each article remains accessible and citable over time.
  1. Self-Archiving Rights for Authors

Authors are encouraged to archive their work in:

  • Personal websites and academic profiles (e.g., ResearchGate, Academia.edu)
  • Institutional repositories (e.g., university libraries, national academic archives)
  • Non-commercial preprint servers (as long as the original source is cited)

Authors must ensure that the final published version of their article remains unchanged in accordance with the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, meaning it cannot be altered or used for commercial purposes.

  1. Post-Publication Content Integrity

To maintain the integrity of the academic record:

  • Retractions, corrections, or updates are clearly marked and publicly accessible.
  • In the event of a journal closure, all published articles will remain publicly available through archiving services (LOCKSS, CLOCKSS, institutional repositories, and DOI databases).

PRIVACY POLICY

AJESS respects data privacy, confidentiality, and personal data protection in accordance with global data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, US Privacy Laws).

  1. Collection and Use of Personal Data
  • User Information: AJESS collects only essential personal information (such as name, email, institutional affiliation) from authors, reviewers, and readers for editorial and communication purposes.
  • No Third-Party Sharing: Personal data is never shared, sold, or transferred to third parties without explicit consent, except when legally required.
  • Cookies and Tracking: The journal website may use cookies to enhance user experience but does not engage in intrusive tracking.
  1. Confidentiality of Manuscripts
  • Manuscripts submitted to AJESS are treated as confidential documents. Editors, reviewers, and staff must not disclose any manuscript-related information to unauthorized individuals.
  • Double-blind peer review ensures that author and reviewer identities remain anonymous.
  1. Reviewer and Author Anonymity
  • Reviewers’ identities are not disclosed to authors.
  • Authors' identities are not disclosed to reviewers during the peer-review process.
  • Communication between authors, reviewers, and editors is secure and confidential.
  1. Data Retention and Deletion
  • Manuscript submission records, peer-review reports, and editorial decisions are securely stored for at least five (5) years to maintain a transparent editorial process.
  • Personal data can be deleted upon request, in compliance with data protection laws.
  1. Security Measures

AJESS implements strict security protocols to protect user data, including:

  • Encrypted communication for all data transmissions.
  • Secure server storage to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Regular system audits to detect and resolve vulnerabilities.
  1. Ethical Considerations in Data Protection
  • Authors, reviewers, and editors must adhere to ethical data handling principles and ensure sensitive research data is appropriately anonymized before submission.
  • Any breach of privacy or confidentiality should be reported immediately to the editorial board.

Summary:

  • LOCKSS and CLOCKSS systems ensure long-term accessibility and security of published content.
  • Authors can self-archive their work in non-commercial academic repositories.
  • AJESS does not share personal data and complies with global privacy regulations.
  • The peer review process is fully confidential, and data is retained securely.
  • Strong security protocols protect users' information and submitted manuscripts.