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Data Lifecycle

Data Management

The journey of data: collect, use, store, share, and delete.

Definition

The data lifecycle describes what happens to data over time: collection, storage, use, sharing, retention, and deletion.

In plain English The journey of data: collect, use, store, share, and delete.

Why this matters

Why it matters: Privacy risks exist at every stage, especially when data is kept too long or shared widely.

Example

Example: A company sets rules for how long it keeps logs and when it deletes them.