Scholar Media Publishing Advertising Policy

1. Purpose & Principles

Core Objectives

Promote academic products (journals, books, databases) and services of Scholar Media Publishing.

Provide promotion channels for academic sponsors (research tools, conferences, lab equipment).

Generate sustainable revenue to support open-access initiatives.

Ensure compliance with ICMJE guidelines and COPE advertising standards.

Guiding Principles

Academic Relevance: Ads must relate to research, education, or scientific innovation.

Ethical Integrity: Prohibit non-academic commercial products, political campaigns, or pseudo-science.

Transparency: Digital ads must be labeled "Advertisement" or "Sponsored".

2. Acceptable Ad Formats

Print Ads: Journal inserts/covers (300+ DPI, CMYK format).

Digital Banners: Website/email placements (responsive design, max. 200KB).

Sponsored Content: Webinars/topic hubs (clearly labeled "Sponsored by [Vendor]").

3. Content Review Standards

All ads undergo three-tier review:

Vetting: Advertisers must provide proof of academic affiliation.

Compliance: Prohibited content includes unverified claims, health outcome guarantees, or discriminatory material. Statistical data requires source citations.

Targeting: Ads must contextually align with journal disciplines (e.g., AI tools only in computer science journals).

4. Prohibited Ad Categories

Advertisements falling under the following categories are strictly prohibited:

Academic misconduct services (e.g., paper mills, citation manipulation tools).

Healthcare products without regulatory approval (e.g., unapproved drugs, direct-to-consumer diagnostics) per WHO/ICMJE standards.

Financial schemes (e.g., cryptocurrency investments, trading platforms).

Political/religious campaigns or ideological advocacy.

5. Data Privacy & Tracking

User Consent: Cookie-based targeting requires opt-in per GDPR/CCPA.

Data Usage: No sale of personal data; sponsors receive aggregated analytics only.

Third-Party Ads: Must comply with IAB Transparency & Consent Framework.

6. Complaints & Enforcement

Reporting: Submit ad violations to office@hksmp.com.

Resolution: 48-hour acknowledgment → 10-business-day investigation → Corrective action (removal/refund).

Liability: Advertisers assume full legal responsibility; SMP reserves termination rights.

7. Policy Governance

Annual audits by independent ethics committee (aligned with COPE Guidelines).

Major updates require 30-day public notice on SMP’s website.