# Data Retention Policies

## Overview

Data retention policies define how long personal data should be kept and when it should be deleted. Proper data retention is a key requirement of privacy regulations like GDPR, which requires data to be kept only as long as necessary for the stated purpose.

## Legal Requirements

### GDPR Requirements
- Retain data only as long as necessary
- Define retention periods
- Implement automated deletion
- Document retention rationale
- Regular review of retention

### CCPA Requirements
- Retain data only as necessary
- Delete upon request (with exceptions)
- Document retention periods
- Implement deletion procedures
- Regular data purging

### HIPAA Requirements
- Retain ePHI as required by law
- Minimum 6 years for certain records
- Implement retention policies
- Secure retention
- Document retention

### Industry-Specific Requirements
- Financial records: 7 years
- Employment records: Varies by jurisdiction
- Healthcare records: Varies by jurisdiction
- Tax records: Varies by jurisdiction
- Legal hold requirements

## Retention Periods

### Purpose-Based Retention
- Retain for duration of purpose
- Delete when purpose fulfilled
- Document purpose and duration
- Review purposes regularly
- Update retention as needed

### Legal Requirement Retention
- Retain as required by law
- Identify applicable laws
- Document legal requirements
- Comply with minimum periods
- Delete when legally allowed

### Contractual Retention
- Retain as required by contract
- Review contract terms
- Document contractual requirements
- Delete when contract ends
- Comply with contract terms

### Business Need Retention
- Retain for business operations
- Document business need
- Review business needs regularly
- Delete when no longer needed
- Balance business and privacy

## Retention Categories

### Active Data
- Currently in use
- Regular access
- Short retention period
- Delete when no longer active
- Move to archive when inactive

### Archive Data
- Historical data
- Infrequent access
- Longer retention period
- Move to cheaper storage
- Delete when retention expires

### Backup Data
- Data backups
- Disaster recovery
- Limited retention
- Delete old backups
- Secure deletion

### Log Data
- System logs
- Access logs
- Audit logs
- Short retention
- Delete regularly

## Retention Policies

### Policy Development
1. Identify data categories
2. Determine retention periods
3. Document legal requirements
4. Define deletion procedures
5. Establish review process

### Policy Elements
- Data categories
- Retention periods
- Legal basis
- Deletion procedures
- Review schedule
- Exceptions
- Responsibilities

### Policy Implementation
- Communicate to staff
- Implement in systems
- Configure retention rules
- Monitor compliance
- Regular reviews

## Automated Deletion

### Deletion Triggers
- Retention period expiration
- Purpose fulfillment
- Legal requirement met
- Contract termination
- User request

### Deletion Methods
- Hard delete from database
- Secure file deletion
- Cryptographic erasure
- Physical destruction
- Verify deletion

### Deletion Process
1. Identify data to delete
2. Verify deletion eligibility
3. Execute deletion
4. Verify deletion completion
5. Document deletion

### Deletion Verification
- Confirm deletion
- Audit deletion logs
- Verify no residual data
- Check backups
- Document verification

## Legal Holds

### Legal Hold Triggers
- Litigation
- Regulatory investigation
- Audit
- Legal requirement
- Preservation order

### Legal Hold Process
1. Identify legal hold trigger
2. Suspend deletion
3. Preserve relevant data
4. Document legal hold
5. Release when appropriate

### Legal Hold Management
- Track legal holds
- Identify affected data
- Suspend automated deletion
- Preserve data securely
- Release holds promptly

## Data Lifecycle Management

### Creation
- Collect only necessary data
- Document collection purpose
- Set retention period
- Tag data appropriately
- Store securely

### Use
- Use for stated purposes
- Monitor data usage
- Review retention regularly
- Update retention as needed
- Document usage

### Archive
- Move to archive storage
- Reduce storage costs
- Maintain access controls
- Monitor archive retention
- Delete when expired

### Deletion
- Delete when retention expires
- Verify deletion
- Document deletion
- Update records
- Notify relevant parties

## Retention Challenges

### Multiple Purposes
- Data used for multiple purposes
- Different retention periods
- Longest period applies
- Document all purposes
- Review regularly

### Third-Party Data
- Data shared with third parties
- Coordinate retention
- Contractual requirements
- Delete from all locations
- Verify third-party deletion

### Backup Data
- Data in backups
- Backup retention periods
- Delete from backups
- Secure backup deletion
- Verify backup deletion

### Cloud Storage
- Data in cloud services
- Cloud retention policies
- Delete from cloud
- Verify cloud deletion
- Coordinate with providers

## Retention Checklist

### Policy Development
- [ ] Identify data categories
- [ ] Determine retention periods
- [ ] Document legal requirements
- [ ] Define deletion procedures
- [ ] Establish review process

### Implementation
- [ ] Communicate policies
- [ ] Implement in systems
- [ ] Configure retention rules
- [ ] Monitor compliance
- [ ] Train staff

### Deletion
- [ ] Identify data to delete
- [ ] Verify eligibility
- [ ] Execute deletion
- [ ] Verify completion
- [ ] Document deletion

### Legal Holds
- [ ] Identify legal holds
- [ ] Suspend deletion
- [ ] Preserve data
- [ ] Document holds
- [ ] Release holds

### Review
- [ ] Review retention regularly
- [ ] Update policies
- [ ] Assess compliance
- [ ] Update documentation
- [ ] Improve processes

## Best Practices

1. **Define Clear Policies**: Clear retention policies
2. **Document Everything**: Document retention rationale
3. **Automate Deletion**: Implement automated deletion
4. **Regular Reviews**: Review retention regularly
5. **Legal Compliance**: Comply with legal requirements
6. **Coordinate Third Parties**: Coordinate with third parties
7. **Secure Deletion**: Use secure deletion methods
8. **Verify Deletion**: Verify deletion completion
9. **Monitor Compliance**: Monitor retention compliance
10. **Continuous Improvement**: Improve retention processes

## Common Pitfalls

1. **No Retention Policy**: Not defining retention periods
2. **Indefinite Retention**: Keeping data indefinitely
3. **No Deletion**: Not deleting expired data
4. **Incomplete Deletion**: Not deleting from all locations
5. **No Legal Holds**: Not managing legal holds
6. **Poor Documentation**: Not documenting retention
7. **No Reviews**: Not reviewing retention regularly
8. **Third-Party Issues**: Not coordinating with third parties
9. **Backup Issues**: Not deleting from backups
10. **Compliance Gaps**: Not meeting legal requirements

