Journal of Communication and Cultural Studies (JCCS) takes all allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously�whether raised prior to or after publication by reviewers, readers, whistleblowers, or institutional bodies.

1. Scope of Research Misconduct

• Data Fabrication & Falsification: Inventing interview informants, ethnographic field notes, survey responses, or manipulating media datasets to distort conclusions.
• Plagiarism & Redundant Publication: Simultaneous submission, duplicate publication (salami slicing), or appropriation of others' ideas or text without credit.
• Ethical Violations in Human/Cultural Research: Breaching informant confidentiality, conducting covert or harmful research without ethical justification, or misrepresenting indigenous communities.
• Peer Review Manipulation: Attempting to compromise double-blind anonymity or suggesting fabricated reviewer accounts.

2. Investigation Procedure (COPE Protocol)

1. Receipt & Assessment: Whistleblowers may submit documented allegations to the Editor-in-Chief ([email protected]). The Editor-in-Chief conducts an initial confidential evidentiary audit.
2. Right of Reply: The corresponding author and co-authors are formally contacted in writing and given 14 calendar days to provide raw research records, ethical approvals, or a detailed explanation.
3. Editorial Board & Institutional Review: If the response is unsatisfactory or inconclusive, an Ethics Review Panel is convened by Mahesa Research Center and, where necessary, the authors' affiliated institution is contacted.
4. Sanctions & Remedies: Confirmed misconduct results in immediate rejection (for unpublished manuscripts) or formal Retraction (for published articles), alongside a 2�5 year submission ban in Mahesa Research Center journals.