# Retention Policy

> Source: https://sukruyusufkaya.com/en/glossary/retention-policy
> Updated: 2026-05-13T21:06:04.407Z
> Type: glossary
> Category: veri-bilimi-ve-veri-yonetimi
**TLDR:** A governance policy that defines how long data is retained, and when it should be archived or deleted.

<p>A retention policy is one of the most critical yet often neglected components of data lifecycle governance. Not all data should be kept forever; legal obligations, business need, privacy risk, and cost must be considered together. Without a retention policy, organizations accumulate unnecessary data, expand their risk surface, and increase archival burden. A strong policy defines not only when to keep data, but also when to let it go.</p>