Can I Ask a Company to Delete My Data?

Asking is reasonable

It is entirely reasonable to ask an organisation about deleting personal information it holds about you. Many organisations will consider such a request and explain what they are able to do in the circumstances.

However, asking does not guarantee deletion. Whether information can be deleted depends on the law, the reason it was collected, and whether there are obligations to keep it. The Australian framework does not provide an unconditional right to erasure in the way some people expect.

Setting realistic expectations helps. A request to delete is a fair thing to make, but the answer turns on the situation rather than on a simple, automatic entitlement to have everything removed.

Why information is sometimes kept

Organisations sometimes need to retain information for legitimate reasons, such as meeting legal or regulatory obligations, handling possible disputes, or completing a matter that is still on foot. In those situations, deleting information on request may not be possible.

This is not about being unhelpful. Retention can be necessary so that records are available if they are genuinely needed, including to protect the interests of the people involved or to meet a clear obligation.

Seen this way, keeping certain information for a time is part of responsible handling, not a refusal to respect privacy. The two sit together within the same framework. Holding certain information for a time can be part of acting responsibly, not a refusal to respect privacy.

What can happen instead

Where deletion is not appropriate, there can still be options worth discussing. Information that is no longer needed may, in the ordinary course, be dealt with in line with an organisation's obligations rather than kept forever.

The privacy framework generally expects information not to be held indefinitely without a reason. So even where immediate deletion is not possible, information is not simply meant to accumulate without purpose.

We deliberately avoid stating specific retention periods, as these depend on the type of information, the purpose, and the law. This is general information only and not legal advice. The framework discourages keeping information without purpose, so retention is meant to be reasoned rather than indefinite.

Asking us

If you would like to ask about information we hold in connection with a matter, you are welcome to do so. We will explain what we are able to do, taking account of any obligations that apply to us.

A clear request helps. Telling us what you are concerned about lets us give you an honest, practical answer about the position, even where the answer is that some information needs to be kept for now.

You can contact us to raise it, and our privacy page sets out our approach. The OAIC also offers consumer guidance on these matters. An honest, practical answer is what we aim to give, even when some information must be kept for now.