Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 2025

Welcome to Sparcly.ai

This Privacy Policy explains how Sparcly Technologies ("we", "our", "us") collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your personal data when you use our platform for research paper management and academic publishing, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable privacy laws. This privacy statement applies to all websites and mobile applications related to Sparcly.

1. Data We Collect

When you register or interact with Sparcly.ai, we may collect the following types of personal data:

  • Personal identifiers (e.g., name, institutional affiliation, email address)
  • Account credentials (e.g., username, encrypted password)
  • Submission-related content (e.g., uploaded papers, abstracts, reviews, metadata)
  • Technical information (e.g., IP address, browser type, operating system, device info)
  • Usage data (e.g., login timestamps, feature usage, system logs)
  • Cookies and tracking data (used for analytics and improving service performance)

We do not store payment information unless explicitly integrated through a secure third-party payment processor (e.g., Stripe, PayPal).

2. Legal Basis for Data Processing

Under the GDPR, Sparcly.ai processes your personal data under one or more of the following legal grounds:

  • Consent - Where you have actively consented (e.g., subscribing to updates)
  • Contractual necessity - When required to fulfill your role as author, reviewer, or organizer
  • Legal obligation - To comply with regulations or lawful orders
  • Legitimate interests - To maintain, secure, and improve the Platform

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data to:

  • Register and manage user accounts
  • Enable paper submissions, reviews, and decisions
  • Facilitate communication between authors, reviewers, and organizers
  • Monitor usage and improve platform performance
  • Notify you of important updates or required actions
  • Fulfill legal or contractual requirements

We do not sell or share your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes listed above or as required by conference/journal organizers and applicable regulations. Once no longer needed, your data will be securely deleted or anonymized.

5. Your GDPR Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Correct inaccurate or outdated data
  • Request deletion of your data (Right to be Forgotten)
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Withdraw consent at any time
  • Request data portability in a structured, machine-readable format

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: privacy@sparcly.ai

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard technical and organizational measures to secure your data, including:

  • Encrypted data storage and transfers
  • Access control and authentication
  • Regular security audits and backups

However, we encourage users to choose strong passwords and keep credentials confidential.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Remember your login session
  • Analyze traffic and user interaction
  • Improve platform features

You can modify cookie settings in your browser or opt-out through cookie banners where applicable.

8. International Data Transfers

If you are located outside the country where our servers are hosted, your data may be transferred across borders. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure lawful data transfers in compliance with GDPR.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Platform implies your acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Links to External Websites

Sparcly may link to third-party websites for your convenience. These sites are not controlled by us, and their privacy practices may differ. We do not endorse or take responsibility for their content or policies. Any personal data you share with them is not covered by our Privacy Statement. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing any information.

Contact

For questions regarding this Privacy Policy, contact us at: privacy@sparcly.ai