Privacy and Cookie Policy of the Publisphere Platform

The University of Warsaw attaches particular importance to protecting the privacy of people using the PubliSphere service, available at https://publisphere.edu.pl/.

This Policy sets out the rules for processing the personal data of service users, including authors, editors, reviewers, other participants in the publishing process, and people using the publicly available functions of the service.

The Policy also provides information on the use of cookies, Google Analytics, content published via YouTube, and other technologies necessary for the operation of the service.

1. Data Controller

The controller of personal data processed in connection with the operation of PubliSphere is:

The Controller may be contacted:

• by post: University of Warsaw, ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00-927 Warsaw, Poland, indicating the relevant organisational unit;
• by telephone: +48 22 55 20 000;
• for matters concerning PubliSphere: ja.lewczuk@uw.edu.pl.

2. Data Protection Officer

The Controller has appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO), who can be contacted at: iod@adm.uw.edu.pl.

The DPO may be contacted in all matters concerning the processing of personal data by the University of Warsaw and the exercise of rights relating to the processing of personal data.

3. PubliSphere Users

PubliSphere is designed to support users performing different roles connected with the publication of scholarly texts:

• authors – create their own accounts in the service;
• reviewers – may be invited by an editor and then use an account in the service;
• editors – manage the editorial and peer-review process;
• superadministrator – holds the permissions required to administer the platform.

Readers who use only publicly available PubliSphere content do not need to create an account.

4. What data do we process?

The scope of personal data processed depends on the user’s role and the way in which PubliSphere is used.

In connection with account registration and account management, the following data are processed in particular:

• first name;
• surname;
• affiliation;
• email address.

As part of the publishing process, the following may also be processed:

• information concerning authorship and co-authorship;
• information concerning affiliation and academic activity;
• scholarly identifiers, in particular ORCID;
• information on authors’ contributions;
• funding information;
• conflict-of-interest declarations;
• manuscripts and other submitted materials;
• reviews;
• editorial decisions;
• statements, forms and consents;
• correspondence related to the publishing process.

The service may also process technical data such as IP address, browser and device information, date and time of connection, session identifiers, login information and system logs.

5. Account registration

An author creates an account independently and provides the data necessary to use PubliSphere functions.

A reviewer may be invited by an editor to participate in the review process. In such a case, the editor may enter the reviewer’s first name, surname and email address into the system in order to send an invitation.

If the reviewer’s data have not been obtained directly from the reviewer, the reviewer receives information concerning the processing of their personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

6. Publishing process

Personal data are processed to the extent necessary to handle publication submissions, editorial processing, peer review, publishing decisions, publication, corrections, archiving and documentation of the publishing process.

Data may be made available to persons participating in a given publishing process to the extent resulting from their role and granted permissions.

7. Peer review and personal data

PubliSphere supports different peer-review models, including single-blind peer review, double-blind peer review and open peer review.

The scope of author and reviewer data disclosed to other participants in the process depends on the review model adopted by the relevant journal, series or publishing unit.

8. Publicly available data

Data relating to authorship and publication may be made publicly available as part of a publication, an author profile and publication metadata.

Such data may include: first name and surname, affiliation, email address, ORCID identifier, authorship information and information related to published scholarly output.

Data related to published scholarly output may remain available after use of the account has ended where this is necessary to preserve the consistency and unambiguous identifiability of scholarly output.

9. Purposes and legal bases for processing

Personal data are processed in particular for the purpose of operating and managing PubliSphere, enabling users to use their accounts and carrying out the process of publishing scholarly works.

The legal basis for processing data connected with the scholarly and publishing activities of the University of Warsaw may be the performance of a task carried out in the public interest – Article 6(1)(e) GDPR.

Data may also be processed in order to comply with legal obligations imposed on the University of Warsaw – Article 6(1)(c) GDPR.

Where a particular processing operation requires the consent of the data subject, in particular in the case of optional analytics technologies, the legal basis is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract or to take steps at the request of a person prior to entering into a contract, Article 6(1)(b) GDPR may apply.

10. Sharing publication metadata

For the purposes of identification, indexing, dissemination and increasing the visibility of publications, data and publication metadata may be transferred to external scholarly systems and databases.

Depending on the nature of the publication, these may include in particular:

• Crossref;
• ORCID;
• University of Warsaw Repository;
• Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ);
• Scopus;
• Web of Science.

The scope of data transferred depends on the nature of the publication and the requirements of the relevant system or database.

11. Recipients of data

Recipients of data may include in particular:

• authorised employees and collaborators of the University of Warsaw;
• editors, reviewers and other persons participating in the publishing process;
• Openform – with regard to hosting, maintenance and technical support for PubliSphere;
• entities providing services necessary for the technical operation of the service;
• systems and databases receiving publication metadata;
• public authorities and other entities entitled to receive data under applicable law.

12. Hosting and technical support

Hosting and technical support for PubliSphere are provided by Openform.

To the extent necessary to provide these services, Openform may process personal data on behalf of the University of Warsaw in accordance with applicable data protection rules and the relevant data processing agreements.

13. Data retention period

Personal data are processed until the purpose for which they were collected has been fulfilled and subsequently – where required – for a period resulting from applicable law, the archival obligations of the University of Warsaw or the need to preserve the consistency of scholarly output.

Data related to the publishing process may also be retained after the process has ended to the extent necessary to document the course of the editorial and peer-review process.

Data forming part of a published work or its metadata may be stored on a long-term basis in order to preserve the permanence and integrity of published scholarly output.

14. Rights of data subjects

Under the conditions laid down in the GDPR, a data subject has the right to:

• access their personal data and receive a copy;
• rectify their personal data;
• have their personal data erased where the conditions laid down in the GDPR are met;
• restrict processing;
• data portability under the conditions laid down by law;
• object to processing under the conditions laid down by law;
• withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before its withdrawal.

15. Right to lodge a complaint

If a data subject considers that their personal data are being processed in breach of applicable law, they have the right to lodge a complaint with:

https://uodo.gov.pl/

16. Obligation to provide data

Providing the data required to create an account or participate in the publishing process is necessary in order to use the relevant PubliSphere functions.

Failure to provide the required data may make it impossible to create an account, submit a publication, participate in peer review or use other functions requiring authentication.

17. Data security

The University of Warsaw applies organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal data, appropriate to the nature of the data processed and the associated risks.

Access to data is restricted to persons who need it in connection with their duties and assigned permissions.

18. Cookies

PubliSphere uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure the proper and secure operation of the service.

Cookies may be used, among other things, to support login and user sessions, remember settings, ensure security and produce statistics on use of the service.

19. Essential cookies

Cookies necessary for the proper and secure operation of PubliSphere may be used without additional user consent to the extent permitted by applicable law.

This applies in particular to cookies related to login, session maintenance, security and remembering users’ privacy choices.

20. Google Analytics

PubliSphere uses Google Analytics to obtain statistical information about how the service is used and to improve its functionality and quality.

Google Analytics may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about use of the service.

Google Analytics is activated only after the user has given the appropriate consent. The user may refuse consent or withdraw it at any time using the cookie settings available in the service.

More information: Google Privacy Policy.

21. YouTube content

PubliSphere may contain video materials made available via YouTube.

Playing or activating material published on YouTube may require information to be transferred to YouTube or Google and may involve the use by those entities of their own technologies, including cookies.

Where activation of such technologies requires consent, external content is activated only after the user has made the appropriate choice.

More information: Google Privacy Policy.

22. Managing consent to cookies

The user may accept optional cookies, refuse their use, or select individual categories.

Consent can be changed or withdrawn at any time using the “Cookie Settings” function available in PubliSphere.

Refusal to consent to optional cookies should not prevent the use of the basic functions of the service.

23. Server logs

The PubliSphere server may automatically record information relating to connections with the service, in particular the IP address, date and time of the request, address of the requested resource, browser and device information, and error information.

This information may be used for system administration, security, error diagnosis and technical statistics.

24. External services and links

PubliSphere may contain links to websites and services operated by other entities.

After visiting an external service, personal data are processed in accordance with the rules specified by its operator. We recommend reading the privacy policy of the relevant service.

25. Changes to the Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy may be supplemented or updated in connection with changes to PubliSphere functionality, technologies used, applicable law or data-processing methods.

In particular, the Policy will be updated accordingly if additional connections to social media or other external services are implemented in PubliSphere in the future.

The current version of the Policy is published on this page.

Last updated: 15 September 2026.