Confidentiality and Ethics

Confidentiality is more than a technical safeguard—it is a covenant of trust. Authors entrust editors and reviewers with their work, often years of dedication condensed into a manuscript. Ethical handling of this trust is essential for preserving the dignity of research and ensuring the credibility of the publication process. These guidelines affirm the responsibilities of confidentiality and ethics for all involved.

Protecting Manuscripts

Submitted manuscripts must be treated as privileged documents. Editors, reviewers, and staff are bound to protect the privacy of authors’ work until publication. Information from submissions may not be disclosed, shared, or discussed outside the review process without explicit permission. Unpublished material must never be used for personal research or professional advantage.

Reviewer Confidentiality

Peer reviewers are entrusted with evaluating manuscripts discreetly and respectfully. They must not disclose manuscript details to colleagues, use data for personal gain, or attempt to identify authors in a blinded review system. Their role is evaluative, not investigative, and their conduct must reflect humility and discretion.

Editorial Confidentiality

Editors are responsible for protecting both the identity of authors and the anonymity of reviewers in double-blind review. Communications, reports, and deliberations are to remain confidential. Editors should resist external pressures—from institutions, sponsors, or political interests—that may seek privileged access to manuscript content.

Data and Participant Privacy

Beyond manuscripts, confidentiality extends to data and participants. Authors must ensure that human subjects cannot be identified without explicit consent, and editors must verify compliance. Ethical respect for individuals who contribute data, knowingly or unknowingly, lies at the heart of responsible publishing.

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality

Confidentiality does not absolve editors or reviewers from declaring conflicts of interest. On the contrary, transparency in relationships and affiliations is critical. Managing conflicts with honesty ensures that confidentiality serves truth rather than conceals bias.

Responding to Breaches

Breaches of confidentiality undermine trust and can cause irreparable harm. If confidentiality is violated, the matter will be investigated promptly and proportionately, with outcomes ranging from reviewer replacement to institutional notification. Accountability ensures that trust, once broken, is actively restored.

Why Confidentiality Matters

Confidentiality is not secrecy; it is stewardship. It allows ideas to develop in safety, free from premature exposure or misuse. It fosters a culture where authors feel protected, reviewers feel respected, and editors act with integrity. Without it, the fragile ecosystem of peer review and scientific publishing cannot thrive.

Conclusion

Ethics in publishing begins with confidentiality. By treating manuscripts as entrusted gifts, by safeguarding the identities of all involved, and by holding one another accountable, the journal affirms its commitment to respect, fairness, and transparency. Confidentiality is not a formality but a promise—that the act of sharing knowledge will always be met with integrity and care.