Beacon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences – Website
Last updated: 25th January 2026
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how the Himalayan Beacon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (“HBJHSS”, “we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information when you visit or use our website and related online services.
By accessing or using this website, you agree to the collection and use of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you disagree, please do not use the website.
2. Scope
This Privacy Policy applies to:
- Visitors browsing the website.
- Authors, reviewers, and editors using our submission and peer review systems.
- Individuals who contact us via email, forms, or other online channels linked to the website.
This Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services that may be linked from our website.
3. Information We Collect
We may collect the following categories of information:
3.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Account and profile data: Name, email address, institutional affiliation, country, login details, and other registration information (if you create an account).
- Submission data: Manuscripts, abstracts, co-author details, metadata, reviewer reports, editorial comments, and related correspondence.
- Contact data: Information you provide when you contact us (e.g., name, email address, message content).
- Optional profile information: Academic interests, ORCID ID, professional biography, and similar details you choose to share.
3.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:
- Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, referral URLs, and date/time of access.
- Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, download activity (e.g., PDFs), and other interaction data.
- Cookies and similar technologies: Small data files stored on your device to enable core site functions, remember preferences, and analyse usage patterns.
3.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We may use:
- Essential cookies: Required for core website functionality (e.g., session management, security).
- Analytics cookies: To understand how the website is used and to improve performance (e.g., aggregated statistics on page views).
You can manage or disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of the website may not function properly if essential cookies are disabled.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
- Journal operations: Managing manuscript submissions, peer review, editorial decision-making, and publication processes.
- User accounts: Creating, maintaining, and securing user accounts for authors, reviewers, and editors.
- Communication: Responding to inquiries, sending editorial and administrative notices, and communicating about submissions and reviews.
- Website functionality and improvement: Operating, maintaining, and enhancing the website’s performance, usability, and security.
- Analytics and reporting: Aggregated statistical analysis of website usage and journal performance (e.g., downloads, readership).
- Legal and compliance: Fulfilling legal obligations, enforcing our Terms and Conditions, and addressing misuse or security incidents.
We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected or for related purposes that are compatible with those original purposes, unless otherwise required or permitted by law.
5. Legal Bases (where applicable)
Where data protection laws require a legal basis (e.g., GDPR or similar frameworks), we may rely on:
- Performance of a contract: Managing submissions, reviews, and related journal services.
- Legitimate interests: Operating and improving our website and journal, ensuring security, and communicating with users about relevant services.
- Consent: Where explicitly requested (e.g., certain communications, optional cookies, or specific data uses).
- Legal obligation: Compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
6. How We Share Your Information
We may share personal information in the following limited circumstances:
- Editorial and peer review process:
- Author information may be shared with editors and, where necessary, peer reviewers, in accordance with the journal’s peer review model.
- Reviewer and editor identities may be kept confidential or disclosed depending on journal policy (e.g., double-blind, single-blind, or open review), which will be communicated separately.
- Service providers:
- With trusted third-party service providers who assist with web hosting, manuscript management systems, analytics, email delivery, or technical support.
- These providers are expected to process data only on our behalf and in accordance with appropriate confidentiality and security obligations.
- Legal and safety:
- When required by law, regulation, court order, or other legal process.
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of HBJHSS, our users, or others.
- With your consent:
- In any other situation where you have given us explicit permission to share your information.
We do not sell your personal information.
7. International Transfers
If your information is transferred to or stored in a country other than your own, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate level of data protection is in place, consistent with applicable laws.
Such transfers may occur due to the location of our servers, editors, reviewers, or service providers.
8. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including:
- Account and profile data: For as long as your account remains active and for a reasonable period thereafter for record-keeping and audit purposes.
- Manuscripts and related records: For the duration of editorial processing and, for accepted works, for the life of the published record; for rejected or withdrawn manuscripts, for a reasonable period to maintain editorial records and integrity.
- Communications and logs: For a period necessary to address inquiries, maintain security logs, and comply with legal and institutional requirements.
We may retain anonymised or aggregated data (which no longer identifies individuals) for research, reporting, and statistical purposes.
9. Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any login credentials and for any activities conducted under your account.
10. Your Rights
Depending on applicable laws, you may have some or all of the following rights concerning your personal information:
- Right of access: To request information about the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure: To request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances (subject to legal and archival obligations).
- Right to restriction: To request restriction of processing in specific situations.
- Right to object: To object to certain types of processing, particularly when based on legitimate interests.
- Right to data portability: To request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly-used, and machine-readable format (where applicable).
- Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting prior lawful processing.
To exercise these rights, please get in touch with us using the details provided in the “Contact Us” section. We may need to verify your identity before we can respond to your request.
11. Children’s Privacy
The website and journal services are intended for adults and academic/professional users.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below the age defined by applicable law without appropriate consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please get in touch with us so we can take appropriate action.
12. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, or services (e.g., indexing services, institutional pages, external publications).
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or website functionality.
The updated Policy will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. Your continued use of the website after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of personal information, please contact:
Himalayan Beacon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences
Email: editor@himalayanbeacon.com
Address: Himalayan Beacon Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 118/A, Dr Zakir Hussain Road, Elysee Lane, Darjeeling – 734101, India
Website: https://www.himalayanbeacon.com
