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Governance, Risk, Audit & Privacy · Foundational

Right to Erasure

GDPR right of individuals to have their personal data deleted in certain circumstances; also called the right to be forgotten.

Definition

Article 17 applies when data is no longer necessary, consent is withdrawn, the individual objects, processing is unlawful, or legal obligations require erasure. Exceptions include freedom of expression, legal obligations, public health, archiving, and legal claims. Controllers must inform recipients and, where data was made public, take reasonable steps to inform other controllers.

Example

A user who closes an account asks the company to delete their profile and purchase history except records required for tax law.

Exam tip

Erasure is not absolute; legal retention obligations override it.

Related terms