2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect data that you voluntarily submit through our platform. This may include:

• Account Details: Name, email address, and secure password when you create a contributor or reader account.
• Profile Information: Professional background, areas of expertise, institutional affiliations, or preferred languages (used to tailor recommendations and verify credibility).
• Contributed Content: Articles, edits, citations, media uploads, and peer reviews submitted to the encyclopedia.
• Communications: Messages sent to our support team, editorial board, or through community discussion forums.
• Payment Information: If you subscribe to premium features or sponsor content verification, we securely process payment details through encrypted third-party processors. Aevum does not store full credit card numbers.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access or interact with Aevum Encyclopedia, certain data is gathered automatically to maintain service integrity, enhance security, and improve user experience:

• Usage Analytics: Pages viewed, time spent on articles, search queries, click paths, and feature interactions (anonymized and aggregated).
• Device & Connection Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and approximate geographic location.
• System Logs: Access logs, error reports, and diagnostic data to detect fraudulent activity, prevent abuse, and ensure platform stability.
• AI Interaction Data: When using our AI-powered research assistant or semantic search, queries and feedback are processed to refine accuracy. Personal identifiers are stripped before model training.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive supplementary data from trusted partners and public sources to enhance verification and personalize content:

• Academic & Institutional APIs: Verified credentials, publication records, or institutional email domains (with your consent).
• Content Aggregators: Publicly available datasets used to cross-reference citations, historical records, and scientific findings.
• Analytics & Security Providers: Fraud detection services and performance monitoring tools that share aggregated threat intelligence.

All third-party data is subject to the same privacy standards and retention limits described in this policy.

2.4 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Aevum Encyclopedia uses cookies and similar technologies to remember preferences, maintain secure sessions, and analyze platform performance. We categorize them as follows:

• Strictly Necessary: Authentication, security tokens, and accessibility settings. Cannot be disabled.
• Functional: Language preferences, dark/light mode, reading progress, and bookmark synchronization.
• Performance: Anonymous usage metrics to optimize article loading, search relevance, and AI response quality.
• Marketing/Third-Party: Used only with explicit consent to deliver relevant updates or partner announcements.

You may manage or withdraw consent for non-essential cookies at any time via our Cookie Preference Center.

2.5 Your Rights & Controls

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to access, correct, export, or delete your personal data. Aevum Encyclopedia provides the following controls:

• Data Export: Download a complete archive of your account activity, contributions, and preferences.
• Account Deletion: Permanently remove your profile and associated personal data (contributed content may remain as it is part of the public knowledge base).
• Opt-Out: Disable personalized recommendations, AI query logging, and marketing communications.
• Support Requests: Submit data privacy inquiries through our dedicated compliance portal or email privacy@aevumencyclopedia.com.