How ResearcherNest handles information.

ResearcherNest is operated from Pakistan and provides research-support, learning and researcher-discovery services. This notice explains the information handled through this website. It is not a promise that every submitted project is suitable for online processing; arrange additional safeguards before sharing sensitive material.

Information we collect

Account records contain your ResearcherNest ID, title, display name, private email address, private WhatsApp number, affiliation, qualification, country or territory, research fields, optional biography and ORCID, password hash, session records and account timestamps. Quotation records contain your account, selected service, discipline, preferred deadline, project description, messages, quotation status and files you choose to upload. Course records contain your applications, registration and payment status, applicant updates and attendance or credential information. Contribution records contain publication metadata, author names, Researcher Insight text, declarations, review notes and uploaded files. Recovery, security, backup and owner-notification records contain limited operational details and timestamps.

How and why we use it

We use account information to authenticate you and connect your quotations, course applications and contributions. New profiles require control of the supplied email address to be confirmed through a time-limited verification link before the account and ResearcherNest ID are activated. A WhatsApp number is used for necessary account or event communication; it is stored in international format but is not currently an authentication factor. We use quotation information to assess a request, communicate, prepare an offer and deliver agreed work. We use contribution information to create public research listings and review Researcher Insights. Security and recovery records help prevent misuse, restore access, investigate incidents and maintain the service. These uses are necessary to provide requested features, take steps toward an agreement, fulfil an agreement, protect the service, and meet legitimate record-keeping obligations. Where a form asks for consent, you may choose not to submit it.

Public and private information

Approved publication metadata, ordered author names, summaries, Researcher Insights and the public portions of a contributor profile may be visible to visitors. Profile email addresses, WhatsApp numbers, password hashes, session records, quotation discussions, private files, recovery records and owner notes are not published and do not appear on certificates. Do not place private personal information in fields intended for public display.

Service providers and international processing

The website hosting, database and protected-file services process information needed to operate and secure ResearcherNest. Resend processes transactional emails such as owner alerts, ID reminders and password-reset messages. Your own email or messaging provider processes communications you receive. These providers may process information outside your country under their own contractual and security arrangements. We do not sell personal information or provide it to advertising networks.

Security

Passwords are stored as salted one-way hashes. Authentication cookies are HttpOnly, Secure and SameSite=Lax. Owner areas and protected downloads require authorization; uploads are restricted by type and size; sensitive actions are rate-limited and security events are recorded. Encrypted owner backups are protected by a passphrase that ResearcherNest does not store. No online service can guarantee absolute security, so remove unnecessary identifiers and do not submit patient-level, identifiable participant, financial, biometric, criminal-record or similarly sensitive data without a specific written arrangement.

Cookies and browser processing

ResearcherNest currently uses only essential authentication cookies. A normal session lasts while the browser session remains active, subject to an inactivity limit; choosing “Remember me” stores a persistent cookie for up to 30 days. Files imported into the public Research Tools are analysed in your browser and are not uploaded to ResearcherNest. The website currently has no advertising cookies, behavioural advertising trackers or online-payment processor. We will update this notice and request any required choices before introducing non-essential tracking.

Retention schedule

• Pending registrations: email-verification links expire after 30 minutes; expired pending records are removed during subsequent registration activity and operational maintenance.
• Active accounts and approved contributions: retained while the account or listing remains active.
• Quotation records and related files: reviewed after closure and normally removed within 24 months unless an active agreement, dispute, safeguarding need or legal/accounting obligation requires longer retention.
• Declined or withdrawn Researcher Insights and their files: normally removed within 12 months.
• Password-reset links: expire after 30 minutes and cannot be reused; expired token records are periodically removed.
• Session records: expire after 12 hours of inactivity or, when Remember me is selected, after up to 30 days; expired sessions are periodically removed.
• Recovery, notification and security logs: normally retained for 12 months, with serious incident records retained as reasonably necessary.
• Encrypted backups: the latest four weekly copies and one month-end copy for up to 12 months. Deletion from a live system may persist temporarily in an encrypted backup until that backup expires.

The owner reviews retained records regularly. “Normally” allows limited exceptions where deletion would interfere with an active service, security investigation, legal claim or mandatory record.

Your choices and requests

You may update profile details and correct or delete individual contributions through your profile. You may request access, correction, account closure, restriction or deletion of other personal information by emailing nestresearcher@gmail.com with the subject “Privacy request.” We may ask for reasonable verification and may retain limited information where required for security, agreements or legal obligations. You may also complain to the competent authority available in your jurisdiction.

Children

ResearcherNest accounts, quotation requests and contribution tools are intended for people aged 18 or older. We do not knowingly create accounts for children. Contact us if you believe a child has submitted personal information.

Changes and contact

Material changes will be dated on this page. Privacy and security questions may be sent to nestresearcher@gmail.com. Because this is a pre-launch notice, it should be reviewed by a qualified Pakistani legal professional before commercial launch or international paid marketing.