What is a primary purpose of data retention policies?

The primary purpose of data retention policies is to dictate how long data should be kept. These policies are crucial for organizations as they outline the timeframe for retaining different types of data based on legal, regulatory, and operational requirements. By defining specific retention periods, organizations can ensure compliance with laws and regulations, minimize legal risks, and efficiently manage their data storage.

Data retention policies help establish a framework for determining when data should be archived or deleted, which aids in maintaining data hygiene and optimizing storage resources. Additionally, these policies help organizations to balance the need for data accessibility with the requirement to protect sensitive information by managing how long such data is held.