Information We Collect

📘 Introduction

Welcome to the Information We Collect policy for Aevum Encyclopedia ("Aevum", "we", "us", or "our"). This page provides a comprehensive overview of the personal and non-personal information we collect when you access or use our encyclopedia platform, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

We believe that trust is the foundation of knowledge. As a platform dedicated to providing accurate, verified, and AI-enhanced information, we handle data with the utmost care and respect for your privacy. This policy complies with applicable data protection laws, including the GDPR, CCPA, and other regional regulations.

👤 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when interacting with our Services. This includes:

Account Registration

• Name or Username: Used to personalize your account and display contributions.
• Email Address: For account verification, security notifications, and service communications.
• Profile Information: Optional fields such as professional title, institution, or areas of expertise (for contributors).
• Authentication Data: Secure password hashes and two-factor authentication details.

Contributions & Content

• Article Edits: If you are a verified contributor, we retain your edits, revision history, and associated metadata.
• Comments & Discussions: Content posted in community forums or article discussion sections.
• Media Uploads: Images, diagrams, or documents uploaded for encyclopedia entries.
• Translations: Content submitted for multilingual localization efforts.

Communications

• Support Requests: Messages sent to our help center or support email.
• Feedback & Surveys: Responses to usability surveys, feature requests, or satisfaction polls.
• Newsletter Subscriptions: Email addresses provided for updates on new features or notable articles.

📡 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our Services, certain information is collected automatically through standard web and mobile technologies:

Data Category	Description	Purpose
Device Information	Hardware model, OS version, browser type, unique device identifiers	Compatibility, security, analytics
IP Address	Approximate geographic location derived from IP	Content localization, abuse prevention
Usage Data	Pages viewed, time spent, click patterns, navigation paths	Service improvement, UX optimization
Log Data	Server logs, error reports, access timestamps	System monitoring, troubleshooting
Performance Metrics	Load times, crash reports, API response data	Infrastructure optimization

This data is essential for maintaining platform stability, detecting fraudulent activity, and delivering content efficiently. Aggregated and anonymized usage statistics may be used for public transparency reports.

🤖 AI & Search Interactions

As an AI-enhanced knowledge platform, we process specific data types related to intelligent features:

Search Queries

We log search terms and queries to improve our semantic search engine and index relevance. These logs are processed to understand user intent and enhance retrieval accuracy. Search history associated with an account is visible to and deletable by the account holder.

AI Model Interactions

When you use AI-powered features (such as summarized explanations, related topic suggestions, or natural language queries):

• Input Prompts: Your questions or prompts are processed to generate responses.
• Feedback Signals: Thumbs up/down ratings on AI responses help train and refine models.
• Context Data: Brief context from your current page may be used to provide relevant suggestions.

🍪 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to operate our Services and collect data:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, security, and core functionality. Cannot be disabled.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your language, theme (dark/light mode), and notification settings.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand traffic patterns and feature usage (via Google Analytics 4 with privacy enhancements).
• Functional Cookies: Enable features like video playback, embedding, and third-party integrations.

You can manage cookie preferences through our Cookie Settings Center or your browser settings. Disabling non-essential cookies may affect certain features.

🔗 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from trusted third-party sources:

• Social Login: If you sign up via Google, Apple, or GitHub, we receive your public profile information and email as permitted by your authorization.
• Academic Verification: Institutional email verification (.edu domains) for contributor status.
• Payment Processors: For premium features or donations, we receive transaction confirmations (never full payment details).

🎯 How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following legitimate purposes:

• Service Delivery: Providing access to articles, search functionality, and account management.
• Content Improvement: Enhancing article quality based on engagement metrics and reader feedback.
• AI Enhancement: Training and refining recommendation systems and search algorithms.
• Communication: Sending service updates, security alerts, and requested newsletters.
• Security: Detecting fraud, preventing abuse, and enforcing terms of service.
• Legal Compliance: Meeting regulatory obligations and responding to lawful requests.

🤝 Data Sharing & Disclosure

Aevum Encyclopedia does not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We share data only in limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted vendors for hosting, analytics, and payment processing (bound by strict data processing agreements).
• Contributor Attribution: Public display of contribution history and authorship on articles (visible to all users).
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights and safety of Aevum and users.
• Business Transfers: In the event of merger or acquisition, data may be transferred as part of the transaction with continued privacy commitments.

⚖️ Your Rights & Controls

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

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Update or rectify inaccurate information.
• Deletion: Request erasure of your account and associated data (with exceptions for legal retention).
• Portability: Export your data in a machine-readable format.
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications or object to processing.
• Restriction: Limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.

To exercise these rights, visit your Account Settings or contact our Data Protection Officer. We respond to valid requests within 30 days.

🛡️ Security Measures

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational safeguards to protect your data:

• Encryption: TLS 1.3 for data in transit; AES-256 for data at rest.
• Access Controls: Role-based access, multi-factor authentication, and principle of least privilege.
• Regular Audits: Penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and third-party security reviews.
• Incident Response: Established procedures to detect, respond to, and notify users of potential data breaches.

While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication.

✉️ Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this policy or our data practices, please reach out: