Al-Bahth (Arabic for "The Search") is committed to protecting the privacy of its users, including researchers, authors, reviewers, and editors. This statement outlines how we collect, use, and disclose information you provide while using our platform.

Information We Collect:

• Registration: We collect basic information during registration, such as your name, affiliation (optional), and email address. This information is used to create your account and facilitate communication.
• Research Activity: When you submit a manuscript, review an article, or edit content, information related to that activity may be collected. This includes titles, abstracts, keywords, and reviewer comments (with anonymity options).
• Technical Data: We collect some technical data to improve our platform, such as your IP address, browser type, and operating system. This data is anonymized and used for analytics purposes.

How We Use Your Information:

• Account Management: We use your registration information to manage your account and provide access to the platform.
• Scholarly Communication: We use information related to your research activity to facilitate the peer-review process, editorial decisions, and publication.
• Platform Improvement: We use anonymized technical data to analyze user behavior and improve the functionality and usability of Al-Bahth.

Information Sharing:

• Third-Party Service Providers: We may use third-party service providers for tasks like hosting, analytics, and communication. These providers will only access your information necessary to perform their services, and they are contractually obligated to maintain its confidentiality.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law or to comply with a court order. We will only do so in exceptional circumstances and after careful consideration.
• De-identified Data: We may share anonymized and de-identified data for research purposes to improve scholarly communication practices.

Your Privacy Choices:

• Account Information: You can access and update your registration information at any time through your account settings.
• Reviewer Anonymity: We offer the option for reviewers to remain anonymous during the peer-review process.
• Data Retention: We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this statement. You can request to deactivate your account, and we will remove your personal information upon deactivation, except for data that is essential for maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

Security:

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. We use industry-standard security measures and regularly review our practices.