1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Account Information: Name, email address, and password when you create an account
- Profile Information: Optional professional details like institution, field of study, or research interests
- Comments & Interactions: Content you post in comments, feedback, or when contacting us
- Newsletter Subscriptions: Email address when you subscribe to our science updates
Information We Automatically Collect
- Usage Analytics: Pages visited, time spent reading, articles shared, and interaction patterns
- Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device information, and operating system
- Performance Data: Page load times and website performance metrics
- Referral Information: Which websites or search terms brought you to ScientistsHub
2. How We Use Your Information
Primary Uses
- Content Delivery: Provide personalized science content recommendations
- Platform Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
- Communication: Send newsletters, important updates, and respond to inquiries
- Community Features: Enable commenting, discussions, and user interactions
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
- Legitimate Interest: Improving our science communication platform and content
- Consent: Marketing communications and optional features
- Contract Performance: Providing the services you've requested
- Legal Obligations: Compliance with applicable laws
3. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
Limited Sharing Scenarios
- Service Providers: Analytics tools (Google Analytics), email services, and hosting providers
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, court orders, or to protect rights and safety
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
- Research Collaboration: Anonymized, aggregated data for scientific research (with your consent)
4. Your Privacy Rights
All Users Have the Right To:
- Access: Request a copy of your personal data
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
- Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
- Data Portability: Receive your data in machine-readable format
EU/UK Users (GDPR) Also Have:
- Restriction: Limit how we process your data
- Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Withdrawal: Withdraw consent at any time
- Complaints: Lodge complaints with your data protection authority
California Users (CCPA) Also Have:
- Know: Right to know what personal information is collected
- Opt-Out: Opt-out of sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
- Non-Discrimination: Equal service regardless of privacy choices
Exercise Your Rights: Email us at support@scientistshub.com with your request.
5. Data Security
Security Measures
- Encryption: Data encrypted in transit and at rest
- Access Controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
- Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Secure Infrastructure: Industry-standard hosting and security practices
Data Retention
- Account Data: Retained until account deletion
- Analytics Data: Aggregated data retained for 26 months
- Legal Obligations: Some data retained as required by law
7. International Users
ScientistsHub serves a global scientific community. Your data may be processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.
EU/UK Data Transfers
We ensure adequate protection through:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Adequacy decisions
- Appropriate safeguards for data transfers
8. Children Privacy
ScientistsHub is designed for general audiences interested in science. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or 16 in the EU) without parental consent.
If you believe we have collected information from a child inappropriately, please contact us immediately at support@scientistshub.com.
9. Policy Changes
We may update this privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Material changes will be communicated through:
- Email notifications to registered users
- Prominent website notices
- Updated "last modified" date
10. Contact Us
For privacy-related questions, concerns, or to exercise your rights: