Effective Date: January 1, 2025
SciRank Global (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of the scientific community and our website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website [scirankglobal.org] and our search registry [top5percentscientists.com].
1. Information We Collect
A. Publicly Available Scientific Data
The core function of SciRank Global is to index and rank publicly available bibliometric data. We collect the following information from public sources, specifically OpenAlex (under the Creative Commons CC0 license):
- Researcher Names
- Institutional Affiliations
- Publication History & Citation Counts
- Open Researcher and Contributor IDs (ORCID)
This data is public domain information. We do not collect private contact details (phone numbers, private emails) for our registry unless you voluntarily provide them to us.
B. Information You Provide to Us
When you use our services (e.g., claiming a certificate, contacting support), we may collect:
- Personal Contact Info: Name, email address, and shipping address (for physical awards).
- Payment Information: We use third-party payment processors (Stripe/PayPal). We do not store your credit card details on our servers.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected data for the following purposes:
- Registry Operations: To calculate rankings, generate composite scores, and display public profiles in the Global Scientist Index.
- Verification: To validate your identity when you claim a certificate.
- Order Fulfillment: To process payments and ship physical awards.
- Communication: To respond to support inquiries or data correction requests.
3. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your personal contact information to third parties.
We may share data in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers: With trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website (e.g., hosting providers, payment processors, shipping carriers).
- Legal Requirements: If required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).
4. Data Rights (GDPR & CCPA Compliance)
We respect your rights regarding your personal data.
- Right to Access: You have the right to request copies of your personal data.
- Right to Correction: You may request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate.
- Right to Deletion (“Right to be Forgotten”): If you wish to have your profile removed from the SciRank Global Registry, please contact us. We will process removal requests within 30 days, subject to verification.
To exercise these rights, please contact us at data@scirankglobal.org.
5. Cookies and Tracking
We use cookies to improve your experience on our website.
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function (e.g., shopping cart).
- Analytics Cookies: We may use tools like Google Analytics to understand website traffic. You can opt-out of these via your browser settings.
6. Changes to This Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Effective Date.”
7. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us