What is a Data Retention Policy?

A Data Retention Policy is a set of rules that outline when and how data should be stored, and for how long. In Massachusetts, a Data Retention Policy is set by the Massachusetts Data Security Law, which was enacted in 2015. This law requires organizations to develop a written data retention policy in order to protect the confidentiality and privacy of personal information. The Data Retention Policy is designed to help organizations ensure that they do not keep data for longer than is necessary. The policy also outlines requirements for securely storing and protecting data, as well as procedures for ensuring the secure disposal of data when it is no longer needed. In some cases, organizations may be required to retain data for specific periods of time for legal or business purposes. For example, if an organization is subject to a court order or regulatory investigation, they may be obligated to maintain records related to that investigation for a specified period of time. In these cases, the data retention policy should outline how long the data must be retained, and outline measures for securely storing and managing the data. In Massachusetts, organizations are required to have a written Data Retention Policy, which must be updated on a regular basis and made available to all employees. The policy should also be reviewed to ensure it meets all applicable federal and state laws in order to protect the confidential and private information of individuals.

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