A data retention policy sets how long you keep data and when you delete it. Without one, you keep data indefinitely and increase risk without benefit.
Inventory What You Collect
Start with a list of data categories: account info, billing data, support tickets, logs, and marketing records. Each category needs a retention period.
Legal vs. Business Needs
Some data must be retained for legal or tax reasons. Other data is only useful for analytics or support and can be deleted sooner.
Define Retention Schedules
Set clear timeframes, such as "support tickets: 24 months" or "marketing leads: 12 months without activity." Consistency is more important than perfection.
Automate Deletion
Manual cleanup fails. Add automated jobs that delete or anonymize data on a schedule.
Document and Communicate
Publish a summary in your privacy policy and keep an internal version that includes the full details for audits.
Bottom Line
Shorter retention reduces risk and cost. A simple, enforced policy is better than a complex one that is never used.