Privacy Policy

Research Scout AI ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website researchscoutai.info and use our research assistance services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Fill out contact forms on our website
• Request research assistance or literature summaries
• Subscribe to our newsletters or blog updates
• Communicate with us via email or phone
• Create an account on our platform
• Participate in surveys or feedback forms

This personal information may include:

• Full name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Postal address
• Academic or professional affiliation
• Research topic or area of interest
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Any other information you choose to provide

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Device information
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Click patterns and navigation paths
• Date and time of visits

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect information about how you use our website. These technologies help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand user behavior and improve our services
• Provide personalized content and advertisements
• Analyze website traffic and performance

Cookie Type	Purpose	Duration
Essential Cookies	Required for website functionality and security	Session/Persistent
Analytics Cookies	Help us understand how visitors interact with our website	Up to 2 years
Marketing Cookies	Used to deliver relevant advertisements	Up to 1 year
Preference Cookies	Remember your settings and preferences	Up to 1 year

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

2.1 Service Delivery

• Provide research assistance and literature summary services
• Process your service requests and payments
• Communicate with you about your projects
• Deliver completed research materials
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries

2.2 Website Improvement

• Analyze website usage and improve functionality
• Enhance user experience and navigation
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics

2.3 Communication

• Send service-related notifications and updates
• Provide research tips and academic insights via newsletter
• Respond to your questions and feedback
• Send promotional materials (with your consent)

2.4 Legal Compliance

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Enforce our Terms & Conditions
• Protect our legal rights and prevent fraud
• Respond to legal requests and court orders

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes
• Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided these do not override your rights

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Website hosting and maintenance
• Payment processing (e.g., credit card processors)
• Email delivery services
• Analytics and data analysis
• Customer relationship management

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.2 Research Team

We may share relevant project information with our qualified research professionals to deliver the services you requested. All team members are bound by confidentiality agreements.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or in response to:

• Court orders or legal processes
• Government or regulatory requests
• Protection of our legal rights
• Prevention of fraud or security threats
• Emergency situations involving safety

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Secure servers with firewall protection
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication measures
• Employee training on data protection
• Regular data backups

However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain business records

Typically, we retain:

• Account information: Duration of account activity plus 3 years
• Transaction records: 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
• Marketing communications: Until you unsubscribe or 2 years of inactivity
• Website analytics: 26 months (Google Analytics default)

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Access and Portability

• Request access to your personal data
• Receive a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format

7.2 Correction and Update

• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Update your contact details and preferences

7.3 Deletion

• Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal requirements)
• Exercise your "right to be forgotten" under GDPR

7.4 Restriction and Objection

• Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Opt-out of marketing communications

7.5 Withdraw Consent

• Withdraw your consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
• This does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal

7.6 Lodge a Complaint

• File a complaint with your local data protection authority
• Contact us first to resolve your concerns

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy.

8. International Data Transfers

Research Scout AI is based in Singapore. If you access our services from outside Singapore, please note that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Singapore or other countries where we or our service providers operate.

We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child without parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

10. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to these third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. Third-party services we may use include:

• Google Analytics for website analytics
• Facebook Pixel for advertising
• Social media platforms for sharing
• Payment processors for transactions

11. Cookie Management

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View and delete cookies
• Block cookies from specific websites
• Block all cookies
• Receive notifications when cookies are set

Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website and your ability to use certain features.

For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit: www.allaboutcookies.org

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that lets you tell websites you do not want your online activities tracked. Our website currently does not respond to DNT signals, as there is no universally accepted standard for how to respond to such signals.

13. Email Communications

If you provide your email address, we may send you:

• Service-related communications (transactional emails)
• Research tips and academic insights (newsletter)
• Promotional offers and updates (marketing emails)

You can opt-out of marketing emails at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email
• Updating your email preferences in your account settings
• Contacting us directly

Please note that you cannot opt-out of essential service-related communications.

14. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: Request information about the personal data we collect, use, and disclose
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Exercise your rights without discriminatory treatment

To exercise these rights, contact us using the information below. We will verify your identity before processing your request.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending email notifications for material changes
• Displaying prominent notices on our website

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

16. Data Protection Officer

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee compliance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws. Our DPO can be reached at: [email protected]