Requirement
Personal data shall be kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary for the purposes for which they are processed.
What the engine looks for
Every group below must be satisfied — by an affirmative statement, not a plan, a hedge or a denial — for the control to count as covered. A term ending in … matches any word it begins. Supporting terms do not change the verdict — they raise confidence and distinguish a policy that names a mechanism from one that gestures at a category.
Required element 1 — any one of
retentionretainstorage limitation
Required element 2 — any one of
periodscheduleno longer thandeleteanonymis…anonymiz…
Supporting terms — specificity signals
monthsyearsautomated deletionlifecyclereviewpseudonymis…
Contradiction markers
Finding any of these outranks coverage — a policy that admits the gap is worse than silence.
retained indefinitely
kept forever
no retention period
Equivalent controls elsewhere
Matched on shared topics. Satisfying this control usually moves these too.
| Framework | Control | Title | Shared topics |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 | C1.2 | Disposal of confidential information | data-deletion data-retention |
| ISO 27001 | A.8.10 | Information deletion | data-deletion data-retention |
| SOC 2 | P4.1 | Use, retention and disposal of personal information (P4.1–P4.3) | data-retention data-deletion |
| PCI DSS 4.0.1 | 3.2 | Minimise storage of account data | data-retention data-deletion |
| GLBA | 314.4(c)(6) | Secure disposal within two years and periodic review of retention | data-deletion data-retention |
| COPPA | 312.10 | Written data retention policy for children's information | data-retention data-deletion |
| CCPA/CPRA | 1798.100(a)-(b) | Notice at collection | data-retention |
| CCPA/CPRA | 1798.105 | Right to delete | data-deletion |