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Privacy Policy

Effective: [Jan.9th,2025]

INTRODUCTION

At Scifocus (collectively referred to as the “Scifocus”, “we” or “us”), we hold your privacy and personal data in the highest regard. This Privacy Policy is crafted to illuminate our practices regarding the handling of your personal information across Scifocus Services (collectively referred to as the “Service”), which encompasses www.Scifocus.ai and associated Services accessible on various platforms that reference this privacy policy(“Privacy Policy”). Herein, we elucidate the methods we employ to gather, utilize, store, share or otherwise manage your personal data, along with outlining your rights concerning such data. The handling of such data is governed by our Terms of Service, which outline the access and usage conditions for our Service.

This Privacy Policy may undergo revisions from time to time to mirror changes in legal, regulatory, or operational requirements, as well as adjustments in our practices and other considerations. Should modifications be made to this Privacy Policy, we will ensure that the revised notice is made available on the Services.We encourage you to periodically review these policies to stay informed about any updates.

1. WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT FROM YOU

We collect the following types of information from you when you use the Scifocus website:

a. Information You Provide

Registration and Log-in Information : To utilize our Services, you are required to establish an account and log in. In this process, we collect your data such as your username, which is essential for distinguishing unique accounts, your email address, which is crucial for account verification, notifications, and customer service. If you choose Google account login, we acquire authorization to access your email, which becomes your default account email. Please note, if you opt for Google login, you cannot create a separate email account with us. Additionally, a password, which is a security measure for account access, is also necessary.

User Content : During your use of our Services, you may provide content such as text, images, uploaded datasets or files, feedback, chat history, and other content you choose to input or provide (collectively "User Content").

Communication Information : When you contact us, we may ask you to provide certain personal data, including contact information, feedback, inquiries, or any other information you choose to send.

Commercial Information : When you carry out transactions on our Service, we require details regarding the transaction including purchase history and payment methods, such as Stripe and order numbers, to facilitate the transaction process.

You have the ability to oversee, assess, and amend your personal data at any time. Should you wish to exercise this option, contact us via email. We emphasize that it is your duty to ensure the information you provide is honest, precise, lawful, and current.

Please be aware that providing specific personal data may be necessary due to legal or contractual obligations, or as a prerequisite for entering into an agreement. We will inform you if this is the case and clarify the consequences of failing to provide such data. In instances where it isn't mandatory, sharing personal data is voluntary but may affect your access to certain services or participation in programs requiring such information.

b. Data We Automatically Collect

Technical Information :As you browse our Services, we may collect technical data automatically, which includes IP address, Registration Time, device type (PC or Mobile), browser type, and the mode of login (Email or Google). This information aids in optimizing your experience based on devices and settings.

Usage Data : Your interaction with our Services is monitored to gather insights on login timings, the features accessed, and frequency of use, all of which help in enhancing service delivery.

c. Personal Data We May Receive from Third Parties

We may collect or receive personal data about you from third parties, such as our business partners. This information includes:

  • Stripe Payment Platform: Includes email address and payment records to process your payment.
  • Google Platform: your email in Google account.

2. USE OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We utilize your personal data for several purposes, including:

  • User Identification: We use your data to recognize you upon logging into your account.
  • Service Provision and Maintenance: Your data enables us to operate and enhance our Services, such as utilizing the Scifocus online tools, accessing academic resources, and offering customer support.
  • Transactional Support: We share your information with our payment partners to facilitate order processing and any related services.
  • Communication: Your data allows us to respond to your questions and notify you about updates to our Services.
  • Safety and Legal Compliance: We process your data to prevent and address illegal activities, including threats to safety, and to comply with legal obligations.
  • Additional Purposes: We may also use your data for purposes disclosed at the collection stage or with your consent, as well as any other specific purposes detailed in this Privacy Policy.
  • Sending you any promotional content and marketing communications. In compliance with applicable legal requirements, we seek your consent for this markeiting purpose. You can opt out at any point, and such revocation shall not compromise the legality of any data processing activities conducted prior to your withdrawal.

3. SHARING INFORMATION

Under certain circumstances, as described below, we may share information with selected external parties:

  • Language Processing Service Providers ,such as ChatGPT by OpenAI and Claude by Anthropic
    • Type of Information Shared：Data you input
    • Purpose of Information Sharing：To generate responses and provide outcomes to enhance your user experience
  • Stripe Payment
    • Type of Information Shared：Payment details, order information including identifiers, billing, and products or services acquired.
    • Purpose of Information Sharing：For the processing of financial transactions.

Your personal data will not be disclosed or transferred to any unrelated third parties, unless:

  • We reserve the right to disclose your personal data if necessary to comply with applicable laws, legal processes, governmental requests, or to safeguard our rights and assets, prevent fraudulent or illegal activities, respond swiftly to protect any individual or group’s safety or mitigate potential legal risks.
  • To enhance service quality, we may collaborate with third-party vendors (including those offering website hosting) in line with this Privacy Policy.

4. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

We implement technologies like cookies, beacons, and related mechanisms to gather data and maintain your site preferences.

Cookies are minuscule text files that often harbor a unique, anonymous identifier. These files are generated when your web browser accesses a specific site, whereupon the site dispatches information to the browser, resulting in the creation of such a file. Subsequently, each time you return to the site, your browser retrieves and forwards this file to the site's server. You can clear these cookies at any point through your browser settings.

Please be aware that opting out of cookies does not equate to the absence of online advertisements. Rather, it implies that the entities from which you have opted out will no longer deliver ads customized according to your browsing habits and preferences, potentially resulting in an influx of ads that may not align with your interests

We may utilize alternative local storage technologies in association with our Services, such as local shared objects (commonly known as "Flash cookies") and HTML5 local storage. These function similarly to cookies, storing data on your device to capture specific details of your interactions and preferences. However, these technologies might operate differently from traditional cookies, which might limit your ability to manage them using standard browser tools and settings.

By accessing and utilizing our services, we use the storage of cookies and other local storage technologies as described below:

Strictly necessary cookies

a) Name: token

Purpose of the cookie: Used to facilitate the process of logging into the service and ensuring a seamless user experience.

b) Name: userInfo

Purpose of the cookie: Used to facilitate the process of logging into the service and ensuring a seamless user experience.

Analytic cookies

a) Name: ​ga​* ​(​​​Google Analytics​)

Purpose of the cookie: Used to analyze website performance and user behavior patterns, helping website owners improve their site's user experience

b) Name: _ga (​Google Analytics​)

Purpose of the cookie: Used to calculate user, session, and campaign data for the site's analytics report, while recognizing unique visitors.

Non-strictly necessary cookies

a) Name: anonymous_user_id

Purpose of the cookie: Used to identify users uniquely and assist Google Analytics without storing personal information.

b) Name: analytics-storage

Purpose of the cookie: Used to track and analyze user behaviour on the website through Google Analytics.

c) Name: product-store

Purpose of the cookie: Used to enhance the user's browsing experience on the product page.

d) Name: visited

Purpose of the cookie: Used to track and analyze user interactions and visits to the homepage to improve website performance and user experience.

e) Name: sci-cur-path

Purpose of the cookie: Used to keep track of the user's current page within the site for navigation and session management purposes.

f) Name: sci-pre-path

Purpose of the cookie: Used to track the user's navigation path by storing the previously visited page, which can assist in enhancing navigation and user flow.

5. PROTECTING INFORMATION

To ensure the security of your personal information, Scifocus employs a range of technical and organizational security protocols, such as encryption and authentication methods. When accessing our Services, you utilize secure servers, ensuring the protection of your data.

For privacy purposes, we advise against sharing sensitive personal information like passwords, credit card details, PINs, or other confidential data during your interactions with Scifocus. While we strive to protect your privacy, personal data security is also dependent on responsible user's behavior.

We may maintain servers around the world and your information may be processed on servers located outside of the country where you live.

Scifocus may operate servers globally, and your data could be processed on servers located outside your resident country. We commit to adhering to major legal standards concerning data transfers. Some recipients of your personal data may reside in jurisdictions that do not match the data protection levels you might expect. In such instances, we ensure necessary safeguards are in place to protect your personal data adequately.

6. YOUR RIGHTS RELATING TO YOUR PERSONAL DATA

As a user of our Services, you are granted the following entitlements concerning your personal data:

a) Right to Access: You have the right to obtain confirmation from us as to whether or not personal data concerning you is being processed and, where that is the case, access to the personal data.

b) Right to Rectification: If your personal data is found to be inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request correction or completion.

c) Right to Erasure or Restriction: When legally permissible, you have the right to request the deletion or restriction of your personal data.

d) Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data in instances permitted by law, such as when your data is used for direct marketing purposes.

e) Right to Withdraw Consent: At any time, you can withdraw your previously given consent for us to process your personal data. Such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

Exercising these rights is free of charge and can be done by contacting us through the provided details in the "CONTACT US" section. If a request is clearly unfounded or excessive, particularly if repetitive, we may charge a reasonable fee or refuse to comply. To ensure security, we may need to request specific information from you to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

We will aim to respond to your request without undue delay, typically within one month of receipt. In cases of complex or numerous requests, this period may be extended by another two months, and we will inform you of such an extension within one month of receiving the request. Under certain privacy laws, we may be required or allowed to deny your request. If so, you will be informed of the reasons, subject to legal constraints.

These rights are not without limitations and may be restricted under certain circumstances . For instance, if there exists a legal obligation to process your information, or if providing you access would disclose personal data of another individual, or if legal constraints prohibit such disclosures. In certain cases, this may mean retaining your data even if consent is withdrawn.

Accuracy Note: Services like Scifocus generate responses based on user input. Occasionally, the responses might not always be factually accurate. Therefore, reliance on the factual accuracy of output from our Services is not recommended. If you identify factually incorrect information about you in Scifocus's output and wish to correct it, you may submit a correction request via the contact details provided in the “CONTACT US” section. Due to the technical intricacies of our Services, we may not always be able to rectify the inaccuracies. In such cases, you can request the removal of your personal data from Scifocus's output.

7. DATA RETENTION

Your personal information will be preserved by Scifocus for the duration deemed necessary to fulfil the purposes and objectives outlined in this Privacy Policy. Additionally, your information will be retained for any period required to adhere to legal mandates, address disputes, or uphold our agreements and terms.

Upon your request and where legally permissible, we will erase your personal data. We reserve the right to remove your personal information at any time without prior notification. In executing such deletion, we are not liable to you for any consequences arising from the removal of your personal data. Note that in certain circumstances, we may retain data for a limited period due to legal or legitimate business requirements or to prevent accidental or harmful deletion. Consequently, there might be a delay between the moment you delete information and its removal from our active and backup systems.

8. CHILDREN’S POLICY

Our Service does NOT intentionally gather or seek personal data from individuals who are below the age of 18. Should you fall under 18 years of age, it is imperative to secure permission from your parents or legal guardians prior to engaging with our Services. In instances where we discern that a minor under the age of 18 has furnished us with personal information without obtaining prior consent, such data will be expunged from our Service. If there is any suspicion or evidence that a minor under the age of 18 has conveyed personal data to us via our Services, we urge you to promptly contact us at [email protected].

9. CONTACT US

Should you have any inquiries regarding this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to engage with us concerning any aspect of our personal data handling practices, you can reach out to us via email at [email protected].





EEA​​ ​SPECIFIC TERMS

Supplementary to the Privacy Policy outlined hereinabove, the ensuing provisions shall govern the handling of personal data pertaining to data subjects located within the European Economic Area ( " EEA " ).

1. LEGAL BASIS OF GDPR FOR PROCESSING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

We handle personal data for the following purposes and corresponding legal justifications:

  • Based on our legitimate interests, such as when necessary for the execution of our business operations, particularly:
    • to recognize and authenticate you while ensuring a seamless service experience across our offerings;
    • to address any inquiries or grievances you might submit to us;
    • to observe usage patterns of our Services and employ your data in refining, innovating, and enhancing our Services;
    • to utilize information you provide to customize our services tailored to your preferences and facilitate your purchasing experience;
    • to engage in data utilization for legal claims, compliance with regulations, and investigative purposes where necessary (including the disclosure of information in connection with legal proceedings or litigation); and
    • to inform you regarding modifications to our Services, as applicable.
  • On the basis of your consent:
    • On occasions where we specifically request your consent, we will employ the data for the intentions described at the time of request.
  • As this might be necessary for compliance with a legal obligation that is applicable to us, such as:
    • Responding to inquiries from governmental or law enforcement bodies conducting investigations, or to adhere to the mandates of relevant laws or any judicial order.

Aggregated Personal Data refers to data that has been anonymized, ensuring that it cannot be traced back to any individual. We might aggregate Personal Data or gather it from you to enhance the capabilities and performance of our Services. This practice allows us to analyze user interactions, refine product features, innovate new offerings, perform research, and fulfill similar objectives. This information is instrumental for gaining insights into general usage patterns and trends, which assists in making informed decisions to improve the user experience. Occasionally, we might decide to share or disseminate this aggregated data.

2. TRANSFER OF PERSONAL DATA OUTSIDE OF THE EEA

When transferring your personal data beyond the boundaries of the EEA to a country that may not have been recognized by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of protection for personal data, we commit to implementing necessary measures to ensure your personal information enjoys a level of protection on par with the applicable legal requirements. We employ the European Commission-approved Standard Contractual Clauses, utilize a vendor’s processor or apply other permissible data transfer mechanisms under the relevant data protection regulations.





CALIFORNIA SPECIFIC TERMS: PRIVACY DISCLOSURES

If you reside in California, additional privacy disclosures as per the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 ( “CCPA” ) and other relevant California statutes may apply to you, enabling you to exercise your rights concerning your personal data.

1.INTRODUCTION

In the event that the CCPA applies, you are entitled to be informed about the methods we use to collect, utilize, disclose, and share your personal information. You have the right to access your data, request the deletion of certain information, exercise your right to opt-out, and ensure that you are not subjected to discrimination while exercising the privacy rights granted to you under the CCPA.

2.​CATEGORIES OF INFORMATION WE MAY COLLECT

We may have collected the following categories of personal information from you:

A. Identifiers: this includes email addresses, IP addresses.

B. Personal Information Categories detailed in California Customer Records statute (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.80(e)): this includes username, email address, contact information, feedback, inquiries, or any other information you choose to provide, and other personal information details that may intersect with other categories.

C. Commercial information: incorporating transaction details, payment methods, order information such as order numbers, billing details, and products/subscriptions purchased.

D. Internet or other electronic network activity information: including the usage details we collect when you engage with our Services. This covers your interactions within the Services, data about the devices and computers accessing the Services, browsing history, and inquiry interactions such as device model, operating system, IP address, and the specifics of the content and features you interact with, including the frequency and duration of use.

E. User Content: When utilizing our Services, you may enter or provide particular personal data, including text, images, uploaded datasets/files, and feedback you offer our Services, including chat history.

Personal information does not encompass:

  • Information made publicly accessible through governmental records.
  • Consumer data that is deidentified or aggregated.
  • Information exempted from CCPA's scope, like medical or health information governed by HIPAA, data from clinical trials, or other specific research data; and data protected by certain industry-specific privacy laws, including the FCRA, GLBA, or FIPA, and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994.

For comprehensive insights into our data collection practices, please consult the overarching terms of the Privacy Policy.

3.PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT WE MAY SHARE

Your personal information may be shared with third parties strictly for business-related purposes. Such sharing occurs solely through formal contracts that outline the precise business objectives, obligate the recipient to maintain confidentiality regarding the personal information, and restrict the use of the disclosed data exclusively to the fulfillment of contractual obligations.

In alignment with the general stipulations of our Privacy Policy, we do not engage in the sale of your personal information without obtaining your explicit consent. Furthermore, we do not intentionally gather personal data from individuals under the age of 18, and as a result, any sale of personal information does not involve data about individuals we are aware are below 18 years of age.

Over the past twelve (12) months, Scifocus has distributed the following categories of personal information to these categories of third parties:

  • We may disclose this information to the Large Language Model Service Providers, including ChatGPT (provided by OpenAI) and Claude (provided by Anthropic) to get the outputs and provide to you.
    • Personal Information Category：User Content (inputs You Provide)
    • Sales：Not applicable
  • We may disclose this information to Stripe Payment Platform to process your payment.
    • Personal Information Category：Commercial Information (payment information, order information including order numbers, billing and items or subscriptions you purchased)
    • Sales：Not Applicable

We do not engage in the sale of your personal data in our service. To gain a better understanding of how we share your information, kindly refer to the general provisions of our Privacy Policy detailed above.

4.YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES

Right to Know and Data Portability

Under the CCPA, you have entitlements regarding your personal data collected and utilized by us over the prior twelve (12) months (the “right to know”). Upon receiving a valid request and verifying your identity, we will reveal to you:

  • The personal information we have gathered regarding you.
  • The types of personal information we have compiled about you.
  • The types of sources from which the personal information was collected.
  • The categories of third parties with whom we share that personal information.

Right to Delete

Under the CCPA, you have the right to request the deletion of their personal information that we have collected and retained, with certain exceptions. We may refuse your deletion request if it is necessary for us or our Service provider(s) to retain the information to:

  • Deliver the service you requested through the Services, carry out actions reasonably expected as part of our ongoing relationship with you, comply with the terms of a written warranty or product recall in accordance with federal law, or otherwise execute our agreement with you.
  • Identify and respond to security incidents, defend against harmful, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activities, or hold those accountable for such actions.
  • Troubleshoot the Services to detect and resolve errors that hinder existing intended functionalities.
  • Uphold free speech rights, ensure another consumer's right to free speech, or exercise any other right established by law.
  • Adhere to the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (Cal. Penal Code § 1546 et seq.).
  • Conduct public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research that serves the public interest and complies with all applicable ethics and privacy laws, where deleting the information may likely hinder or severely impact the research's objectives, provided you have previously given informed consent.
  • Facilitate solely internal uses that are reasonably in line with consumer expectations based on your relationship with us.
  • Fulfill a legal obligation.

Upon receiving your request and confirming your identity, we will proceed to delete or anonymize your personal information and instruct our Service providers to perform similar actions unless an exception as outlined above applies.

How to Exercise the Rights to Know or Delete

To initiate the process of exercising your rights to know or delete your personal information as outlined above, kindly submit a request through the contact information provided in the "CONTACT US" section.

The request to know or delete personal information can only be made by you or an individual who holds valid legal authority to act on your behalf.

You are entitled to submit a request to know no more than twice within any 12-month period. In order for us to process your request for access or erasure, the following conditions must be met:

  • Furnish us with enough information to reasonably authenticate your identity as the individual whose personal data we have gathered, or as an authorized agent. This may include your identification details, a signed authorization permitting the agent to act for you, and any additional information as permitted or recommended by the CCPA and other relevant regulations.
  • Clearly describe your request in sufficient detail allowing us to accurately comprehend, evaluate, and address it.

If we are unable to confirm your identity or the authority to make the request, and verify that the personal information pertains to you, we cannot fulfill your request or disclose personal information.

Response Timing and Format regarding Requests to Know or Delete

Upon receiving your request, we will send an acknowledgment within a period of 15 calendar days. Should you not receive this acknowledgment within the specified 15 days, please connect with us using the contact details provided in the “CONTACT US” section.

We aim to provide a comprehensive response to any substantiated consumer request within forty-five (30) days from the date of receipt. If additional time is required (up to an additional 30 days), we will notify you in writing, specifying the reason for the delay and the extended time period. Our responses may be sent to you by email.

Our disclosures will encompass only the 12-month timeframe immediately preceding the receipt of your request. If applicable, our response will also detail why we are unable to fulfill your request. Regarding requests for data portability, we will provide your personal data in a format that is easily accessible and should enable you to transmit the information seamlessly from one entity to another.

There will be no fee for processing or responding to a verifiable consumer request unless it is deemed excessive, repetitive, or obviously unfounded, or as permitted by the CCPA. If we decide a fee is necessary, we will explain the rationale behind this decision and furnish you with a cost estimate prior to proceeding with your request.

Non-Discrimination

In accordance with the CCPA, we ensure that no discriminatory practices will be directed at you for exercising your rights under this law. Specifically, we shall not:

  • Refuse to provide goods or services to you.
  • Impose varying prices or fees for goods or services, which includes the provision of discounts, other benefits, or the imposition of penalties, unless allowed by the CCPA.
  • Offer a differing standard or quality of goods or services.
  • Imply that you may receive distinct pricing or quality of goods or services.

Other California Privacy Rights

  • You have the right to request information regarding the disclosure of your personal information by us to third parties if they are used for those third parties’ direct marketing objectives. To initiate such an inquiry, please contact us at [email protected].
  • Our site does not engage in monitoring, recognizing, or honoring any web browser “Do Not Track” signals or similar mechanisms that enable consumers to make choices regarding the gathering of information about their internet activities over time and across third-party websites.

When engaging with our Services, third parties might utilize technology to automatically gather information about your device. This collected data might be linked to your personal account, or it may be used to track your activities across various online platforms and services. We do not exert control over these third-party tracking technologies nor how they are applied. For inquiries regarding advertisements or specific targeted content, it is advised to contact the content provider directly.