Privacy
ScholarlyMinds is committed to protecting users′ privacy. This section explains how your information is collected, used and protected. ScholarlyMinds takes all reasonable steps to ensure that it complies with the requirements of the United Kingdom Data Protection Act 1998.Note that by accepting our Terms and Conditions you accept that your data will be subject to our privacy policy.
1. How we collect your information
In order to provide our full range of services, we may collect the following types of information:1.1 Information you provide
When you sign up for an account with ScholarlyMinds, we ask you for personal information (such as your name, e-mail address and an account password). ScholarlyMinds also collects other profile data including but not limited to research interests, gender, age, education and occupation in order to assist users in finding and communicating with each other.User Profile information including members' pictures and names are displayed to people in order to facilitate user interaction in the ScholarlyMinds social networking community. E-mail addresses are used for the purposes of inviting new friends to join ScholarlyMinds, to add users to members' friends' networks, and to send notifications related to the service.
We may also use a user's e-mail address to send updates, newsletters or news regarding ScholarlyMinds.
1.2 Cookies
ScholarlyMinds uses cookies to store visitors' preferences and to record session information for purposes including ensuring that visitors are not repeatedly offered the same advertisements and to customise newsletters, advertising, and web page content based on browser type and user profile information. We do not link the information we store in cookies to any personally identifiable information you submit while on our site.1.3 Analytics cookies
The web site of ScholarlyMinds uses Google Analytics, an analytical web tool, licensed from Google, Inc., a Delaware company whose headquarters are at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View (California), CA 94043, USA (“Google”). Google Analytics sends “cookies” – small files containing a string of characters – to your computer that uniquely identifies your browser. The information generated by the cookies regarding your usage of the web site (including your IP address) is directly transmitted and archived by Google on servers based in the United States of America. Google processes this information, on our behalf, to enable us to track the usage of the web site by compiling reports on web site activity and through the provision of other services related to web site activity and internet usage. Google may transmit such information to third parties when required to do so by law or when such third parties process the information on behalf of Google. Google will not link your IP address with any other data that Google has in its possession. Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies, but you can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some Google features and services may not function properly if your cookies are disabled. By using ScholarlyMinds you consent to the processing of your personal data by Google as described and for the purposes mentioned above.1.4 Log information
When you use the services of ScholarlyMinds, our servers automatically record information that your browser sends whenever you visit a web site. These server logs may include information such as your web request, Internet Protocol address, browser type, browser language, the date and time of your request and one or more cookies that may uniquely identify your browser.1.5 User communications
When you send an e-mail or other communication to ScholarlyMinds, we may retain those communications in order to process your enquiries, respond to your requests and improve our services.1.6 Links
ScholarlyMinds may present links in a format that enables us to keep track of whether these links have been followed. We use this information to improve the quality of our customised content and user experience. ScholarlyMinds is not responsible for the privacy policies and/or practices on other sites. When linking to another site a user should read the privacy policy stated on that site. Our privacy policy only governs information collected on ScholarlyMinds.1.7 Other sites
This privacy policy applies to web sites and services that are owned and operated by ScholarlyMinds. We do not exercise control over the sites displayed as search results or links from within our various services. These other sites may place their own cookies or other files on your computer, collect data or solicit personal information from you.2. How we use and protect your information
2.1 Processing of information
ScholarlyMinds only processes personal information for the purposes described in this privacy policy and/or any privacy notice for specific services. In addition to the above, such purposes include:- providing our products and services to users, including the display of customised content and advertising
- auditing, research and analysis in order to maintain, protect and improve our services
- ensuring the technical functioning of our network and
- developing new services.
2.2 Personal information choice
When you sign up for a particular service that requires registration, we ask you to provide personal information. If we use this information in a manner different than the purpose for which it was collected, then we will ask for your consent prior to such use. If we propose to use personal information for any purposes other than those described in this Policy and/or in the specific service notices, we will offer you an effective way to opt out of the use of personal information for those other purposes. We will not collect or use sensitive information for purposes other than those described in this privacy policy and/or in the specific service notices, unless we have obtained your prior consent.You can decline to submit personal information to any of our services, in which case ScholarlyMinds may not be able to provide those services to you.
2.3 Sharing of information
ScholarlyMinds only shares personal information with individuals outside of ScholarlyMinds if we have a good belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to:- satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request
- enforce applicable Terms of Use, including investigation of potential violations thereof
- detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues, or
- protect against imminent harm to the rights, property or safety of ScholarlyMinds, its users or the public as required or permitted by law.
We may share with third parties certain pieces of aggregated, non-personal information, such as the number of users who searched for a particular term or how many users clicked on a particular advertisement. Such information does not identify you individually.
Please contact us at the address below for any additional questions about the management or use of personal data.
2.4 Securing your information
ScholarlyMinds takes appropriate security measures to protect against unauthorised access to or unauthorised alteration, disclosure or destruction of data. These include internal reviews of our data collection, storage and processing practices and security measures, as well as physical security measures to guard against unauthorised access to systems where we store personal data.We restrict access to personal information to our employees, contractors and agents who need to know that information in order to operate, develop or improve our services. These individuals are bound by confidentiality obligations and may be subject to discipline, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations.
2.5 Accuracy of information
ScholarlyMinds processes personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected and in accordance with this privacy policy or any applicable service-specific privacy notice. We review our data collection, storage and processing practices to ensure that we only collect, store and process the personal information needed to provide or improve our services. We take reasonable steps to try to ensure that the personal information we process is accurate, complete, and current, but we depend on our users to update or correct their personal information whenever necessary.2.6 Accessing and updating personal information
When you use the services of ScholarlyMinds, we make good efforts to provide you with access to your personal information and either to correct this data if it is inaccurate or to delete such data at your request if it is not otherwise required to be retained by law or for legitimate business purposes. We ask individual users to identify themselves and the information requested to be accessed, corrected or removed before processing such requests. We may decline to process requests that are unreasonably repetitive or systematic, require disproportionate technical effort, jeopardise the privacy of others, or would be extremely impractical (for instance, requests concerning information residing on backup tapes), or for which access is not otherwise required. In any case where we provide information access and correction, we perform this service free of charge, except if doing so would require a disproportionate effort. Individuals who wish to access their personal data or have it corrected or removed may do so by sending a request to privacy@scholarlyminds.com. Such request must include the following information:- forename and surname of the individual concerned
- contact address
- a scanned copy of a valid national identity card or passport of the individual concerned
- a statement of the requested course of action, i.e. access to, amendment of or removal of information.
3. Enforcement of this policy
ScholarlyMinds regularly reviews its compliance with this privacy policy. Please feel free to direct any questions or concerns regarding this Policy or our treatment of personal information by contacting us through this web site or by writing to us at privacy@scholarlyminds.com. When we receive formal written complaints at this address, it is the policy of ScholarlyMinds to contact the complaining user regarding his or her concerns. We will co-operate with the appropriate regulatory authorities, including local data protection authorities, to resolve any complaints regarding the transfer of personal data that cannot be resolved between ScholarlyMinds and an individual.4. Changes to this privacy policy
Please note that the privacy policy of ScholarlyMinds may change from time to time. We will post any policy changes on this page and, if the changes are significant, we will provide a more prominent notice.If you have any additional questions or concerns about this privacy policy, please feel free to contact us any time on privacy@scholarlyminds.com.
