Published
Public Ethics
Publication Ethics
Ethical principles and publication responsibilities of JODIGO – Journal of Digital Governance
JODIGO – Journal of Digital Governance is committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity, publication ethics, transparency, accountability, fairness, and responsible scholarly communication. These principles apply to authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher throughout the submission, peer-review, editorial decision, publication, and post-publication processes.
JODIGO refers, where appropriate, to internationally recognized principles of responsible scholarly publishing and guidance provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The journal does not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, citation manipulation, peer-review manipulation, undisclosed conflicts of interest, misuse of public-sector data, or other forms of research and publication misconduct.
Contents
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1. Responsibilities of Authors
Originality and Plagiarism
Research Integrity Authorship Conflicts of Interest Ethical Approval 2. Responsibilities of Editors
Editorial Independence
Fairness Confidentiality Editorial Decisions |
3. Responsibilities of Reviewers
Confidentiality
Objectivity Expertise Conflicts of Interest 4. Digital Governance Research Ethics
Public-Sector Data
Privacy and Digital Rights AI and Algorithms Cybersecurity Research |
5. Research and Publication Misconduct
Plagiarism
Fabrication Falsification Citation Manipulation 6. Post-Publication Ethics
Corrections
Expressions of Concern Retractions 7. Generative AI Policy
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1. Ethical Responsibilities of Authors
Originality and Plagiarism: Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts represent original scholarly work. Text, ideas, theories, policy frameworks, datasets, figures, code, algorithms, government reports, and other materials derived from external sources must be appropriately acknowledged and cited.
Accuracy and Research Integrity: Authors must present research findings accurately and honestly. Fabrication, falsification, selective manipulation of data, misleading statistical presentation, manipulated digital evidence, or misrepresentation of policy findings is prohibited.
Multiple or Concurrent Submission: Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to more than one journal. Relevant preprints, reports, conference papers, theses, working papers, or previous versions should be disclosed where appropriate.
Authorship and Contributorship: Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made substantial scholarly contributions to the conception, design, analysis, interpretation, or preparation of the work. Guest, honorary, purchased, or ghost authorship is unacceptable.
Corresponding Author Responsibility: The corresponding author must ensure that all listed authors have approved the manuscript and agree with its submission, revision, and publication.
Conflict of Interest: Authors must disclose financial, institutional, political, professional, commercial, advisory, or personal relationships that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or interpretation of its findings.
Funding Disclosure: Research grants, government support, institutional funding, consultancy funding, commercial sponsorship, or other financial support must be disclosed accurately.
Errors in Published Work: Authors who identify significant errors or inaccuracies in a published article should promptly contact the Editorial Office and cooperate with appropriate corrective action.
2. Ethical Responsibilities of Editors
Editorial Independence: Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly quality, originality, relevance, methodological or conceptual rigor, research integrity, and alignment with the aims and scope of JODIGO.
Fairness and Non-Discrimination: Manuscripts should be evaluated without discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, institutional affiliation, academic rank, political orientation, geographic location, or other characteristics unrelated to scholarly merit.
Confidentiality: Editors must protect confidential information contained in submitted manuscripts and must not use unpublished material for personal, institutional, professional, political, or commercial advantage.
Conflict of Interest: Editors should recuse themselves from handling manuscripts where financial, institutional, professional, advisory, collaborative, political, or personal relationships may compromise impartiality.
Peer-Review Integrity: Editors are responsible for selecting qualified, independent, and relevant reviewers and for protecting the integrity of the review process.
Editorial Decisions: Decisions to accept, revise, or reject manuscripts should be based on scholarly evidence, reviewer reports, editorial judgment, publication ethics, and journal policies.
3. Ethical Responsibilities of Reviewers
Contribution to Editorial Decisions: Reviewers assist editors in assessing originality, relevance, methodology, theoretical contribution, policy significance, clarity, and research integrity.
Expertise and Promptness: Reviewers should accept assignments only when they possess appropriate expertise and can complete the review within a reasonable period.
Confidentiality: Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential documents. Unpublished material must not be shared or used for personal, institutional, political, professional, or commercial purposes.
Objectivity: Reviews should be professional, constructive, evidence-based, and academically reasoned. Personal criticism or politically motivated judgment is inappropriate.
Conflict of Interest: Reviewers must disclose relevant financial, institutional, professional, political, collaborative, or personal conflicts before accepting an assignment.
Ethical Concerns: Reviewers should notify editors when they identify suspected plagiarism, fabricated data, duplicate publication, manipulated digital evidence, citation manipulation, unethical data use, or other integrity concerns.
4. Ethical Principles for Digital Governance Research
Public-Sector and Administrative Data
Research using government databases, administrative records, public service data, digital-platform data, public-sector documents, or other institutional datasets must comply with applicable laws, access conditions, confidentiality requirements, licensing terms, and research-ethics obligations.
Privacy, Personal Data and Digital Rights
Authors must protect personally identifiable information and sensitive data obtained from citizens, public employees, digital platforms, government systems, surveys, interviews, administrative databases, or online interactions. Data should be anonymized or de-identified where appropriate.
Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Governance
Studies involving artificial intelligence, predictive systems, automated decision-making, facial recognition, algorithmic risk scoring, or related public-sector technologies should report relevant limitations, validation procedures, data sources, potential biases, and implications for fairness, accountability, transparency, explainability, and public rights.
Cybersecurity and Sensitive Infrastructure
Research concerning government cybersecurity, critical public infrastructure, digital vulnerabilities, authentication systems, or sensitive government information must be reported responsibly. Authors should avoid publishing unnecessary operational details that could create disproportionate security risks while still providing sufficient information for scholarly evaluation.
5. Research and Publication Misconduct
JODIGO does not tolerate practices that compromise the reliability, integrity, or transparency of scholarly research. Misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
Plagiarism: Unattributed use of another person's text, ideas, data, policy frameworks, code, images, or other intellectual contributions.
Fabrication: Inventing data, respondents, interviews, government records, observations, references, evidence, or findings.
Falsification: Manipulating data, documents, images, analytical procedures, digital evidence, or findings in ways that misrepresent the research.
Duplicate Publication: Republishing substantially the same work without appropriate disclosure.
Inappropriate Authorship: Guest, honorary, ghost, purchased, or otherwise misleading authorship.
Citation Manipulation: Citation practices intended primarily to influence citation metrics rather than support scholarly argument.
Peer-Review Manipulation: False reviewer identities, fabricated reviewer information, or other attempts to interfere with independent peer review.
Fabrication: Inventing data, respondents, interviews, government records, observations, references, evidence, or findings.
Falsification: Manipulating data, documents, images, analytical procedures, digital evidence, or findings in ways that misrepresent the research.
Duplicate Publication: Republishing substantially the same work without appropriate disclosure.
Inappropriate Authorship: Guest, honorary, ghost, purchased, or otherwise misleading authorship.
Citation Manipulation: Citation practices intended primarily to influence citation metrics rather than support scholarly argument.
Peer-Review Manipulation: False reviewer identities, fabricated reviewer information, or other attempts to interfere with independent peer review.
6. Allegations of Misconduct
Allegations of research or publication misconduct will be considered fairly, confidentially, and on the basis of available evidence. Authors and other relevant parties may be asked to provide clarification, supporting documents, data, or other information necessary for editorial evaluation.
1. Initial Assessment
The Editorial Office evaluates the concern and available evidence.
2. Clarification
Relevant parties may be asked to provide explanations or supporting documentation.
3. Investigation
Additional evidence or independent scholarly assessment may be sought where necessary.
4. Editorial Decision
The matter is evaluated according to available evidence and relevant ethical and editorial policies.
5. Corrective Action
Appropriate actions may include rejection, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other measures necessary to protect the scholarly record.
The Editorial Office evaluates the concern and available evidence.
2. Clarification
Relevant parties may be asked to provide explanations or supporting documentation.
3. Investigation
Additional evidence or independent scholarly assessment may be sought where necessary.
4. Editorial Decision
The matter is evaluated according to available evidence and relevant ethical and editorial policies.
5. Corrective Action
Appropriate actions may include rejection, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other measures necessary to protect the scholarly record.
7. Post-Publication Corrections and Retractions
Corrections: Corrections may be issued when errors require clarification but do not invalidate the main findings or conclusions of an article.
Expressions of Concern: An expression of concern may be issued when serious questions regarding the reliability or integrity of an article remain under investigation.
Retractions: Retraction may be considered when reliable evidence demonstrates serious error, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, unethical research, duplicate publication, or other substantial misconduct.
8. Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies may be used responsibly for legitimate research or manuscript-preparation activities. Human authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, citations, interpretation, integrity, and ethical compliance of all submitted content.
Substantive use of AI technologies in research design, data analysis, programming, coding, visualization, simulation, image generation, interpretation, translation, or manuscript preparation should be disclosed where relevant.
Artificial intelligence systems and large language models cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because authorship requires human accountability and responsibility.
Fabricated references, false citations, invented quotations, manipulated evidence, synthetic respondents presented as real persons, or other misleading AI-generated scholarly content are prohibited.
AI and Peer-Review Confidentiality: Editors and reviewers should not upload confidential unpublished manuscripts, government data, sensitive policy information, or identifiable research materials to public or third-party generative AI systems where doing so could compromise confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property, or research integrity.
9. COPE Guidelines and Best Practices
For publication-ethics matters not fully addressed by this policy, JODIGO may refer to relevant principles, recommendations, flowcharts, and core practices issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Reference to COPE principles reflects the journal's commitment to recognized ethical publishing practices and does not, by itself, imply formal organizational membership.
Publication Ethics Principle: JODIGO seeks to maintain a publication environment based on research integrity, editorial independence, transparency, accountability, responsible use of digital data, respect for privacy and digital rights, fair peer review, and protection of the scholarly record.
