Privacy Statement

Privacy and Data Protection Policy (J-GAMES)

This Privacy and Data Protection Policy explains how J-GAMES collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data in connection with its journal operations, including manuscript submission, peer review, and website usage. J-GAMES is committed to protecting personal data and complying with applicable data protection regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable.

1. Data Controller

J-GAMES is operated by an independent commercial publisher. The publisher acts as the data controller for personal data collected through the journal website and submission system.

2. Personal Data We Collect

J-GAMES collects only the personal data necessary for the operation of the journal. This may include:

• Names, institutional affiliations, and contact details of authors, reviewers, and editors
• ORCID identifiers (where provided)
• Manuscript files and associated metadata
• Peer review reports and editorial correspondence
• Login credentials and system-generated identifiers
• Technical data such as IP addresses and browser information for security and analytics purposes

3. Purpose of Data Processing

Personal data are processed solely for legitimate academic and operational purposes, including:

• Managing manuscript submission, peer review, and editorial decision-making
• Communicating with authors, reviewers, and editors
• Publishing accepted articles
• Maintaining the integrity and security of the journal platform
• Complying with legal and ethical obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

• Personal data are processed on the following legal bases:
• Performance of a contract (e.g., processing submissions and reviews)
• Legitimate interests related to scholarly publishing
• Consent, where explicitly provided
• Compliance with legal obligations, where applicable

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

Personal data are not sold or shared with third parties for commercial purposes.

Data may be shared only where necessary with:

• Editors and reviewers involved in the peer review process
• Service providers supporting journal infrastructure (e.g., hosting, DOI registration)
• Indexing and archiving services for published articles

All such parties are required to handle data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

6. Data Retention

Personal data are retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which they were collected.

• Submission and review records are retained to maintain the scholarly record
• Published article metadata are retained indefinitely for citation and archiving purposes
• User account data may be retained until deletion is requested or the account becomes inactive

7. Data Security

J-GAMES implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These measures include secure hosting, access controls, and regular system updates.

8. Cookies and Tracking

The journal website may use essential cookies required for system functionality, such as user login and session management. J-GAMES does not use cookies for advertising or profiling purposes.

9. Rights of Data Subjects

Individuals whose data are processed by J-GAMES have the right to:

• Access their personal data
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of personal data, where appropriate
• Restrict or object to certain types of processing
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

Requests may be made by contacting the journal using the contact details provided on the website.

10. International Data Transfers

Where data are processed or stored outside the European Economic Area, J-GAMES ensures that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

11. Policy Updates

This Privacy and Data Protection Policy may be updated periodically. Any material changes will be published on the journal website.