Privacy Statement

Privacy Statement

Privacy and Data Protection Policy

The Journal of Language Teaching and Learning (JLTL) is strictly committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal information of all participants in our scholarly publishing ecosystem, including authors, peer reviewers, editorial staff, and readers. This policy details our protocols for the collection, utilization, storage, and protection of your data, ensuring full compliance with international data protection standards, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Information We Collect

In the course of its operations, JLTL may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

  • Identity and Contact Data: Names, institutional affiliations, and email addresses of submitting authors, reviewers, and editorial board members.

  • Academic Data: ORCID iDs, biographical summaries, and publication histories, as voluntarily submitted by authors.

  • Technical Data: IP addresses, browser types, and general usage metrics collected during visits to the journal’s website for security monitoring and system analytics.

2. Purpose of Data Collection

We collect and process personal information exclusively to administer academic publishing and editorial workflows. Specific purposes include:

  • Facilitating manuscript submissions and managing the double-blind peer-review process.

  • Maintaining accurate internal registries of editorial board members and peer reviewers.

  • Conducting official correspondence with authors, reviewers, and editors.

  • Publishing author identities and institutional affiliations alongside accepted and published manuscripts, ensuring proper academic attribution.

  • Preserving the permanent scholarly record and supplying metadata to academic indexing services.

JLTL unequivocally prohibits the commercialization of personal data and will never sell, rent, or distribute user information to external marketing entities.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data under one or more of the following legal frameworks:

  • Contractual Necessity: Processing required to fulfill publication agreements and manage the peer-review workflow.

  • Legitimate Interest: The journal’s operational need to maintain secure editorial records, ensure academic integrity, and communicate with stakeholders.

  • Explicit Consent: Processing of optional data provided voluntarily by the user (e.g., public display of ORCID profiles or newsletter subscriptions).

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

To ensure the global dissemination and discoverability of published research, personal data may be securely shared with:

  • Scholarly Databases: Indexing and abstracting services (e.g., Web of Science) to catalog and promote published articles.

  • Infrastructure Providers: Our web hosting and manuscript management platforms, operating under strict confidentiality and data processing agreements.

JLTL will not disclose personal data to unrelated third parties unless legally compelled by a recognized authority or required during a formal ethical investigation (e.g., inquiries into academic misconduct initiated by the Committee on Publication Ethics).

5. Data Storage and Security

JLTL employs robust technical and organizational protocols to defend personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, inadvertent disclosure, or destruction. All digital records are housed on secure servers with restricted administrative access. Data is retained only for the duration necessary to fulfill our editorial operations and maintain the permanent archival record of the journal.

6. Cookies and Web Analytics

The JLTL web platform utilizes standard cookies to optimize functionality and generate anonymized traffic analytics. Users may configure their browser settings to block or delete cookies; however, doing so may restrict access to certain submission or navigation features on the site.

7. Rights of Data Subjects

In accordance with international data protection frameworks, individuals retain the right to:

  • Access and request a copy of their stored personal data.

  • Request the rectification of inaccurate records or the erasure of unnecessary data.

  • Withdraw consent for data processing where consent was the sole legal basis.

  • Object to or request restrictions on data processing under specific legal conditions.

  • Lodge a formal complaint with their respective national data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, or for inquiries regarding data privacy, please contact the editorial office at: info@jltl.com.tr.

8. Policy Updates

JLTL reserves the right to amend this Privacy Policy to reflect evolving legal mandates, technological advancements, or internal editorial practices. All modifications will be published on this page, accompanied by an updated revision date.

Note on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

The GDPR is a comprehensive legal framework enacted by the European Union on May 25, 2018, governing the collection, processing, and storage of personal data. Designed to harmonize privacy laws and empower data subjects, the GDPR imposes rigorous compliance responsibilities on any organization handling personal data, applying universally regardless of whether the organization is headquartered within or outside the EU.