Data Retention & GDPR

This page explains how long Gaard keeps classification data, how to change that, and the tools the platform provides to support your data-protection obligations, including erasure. It applies to both the cloud and on-premises distributions.

Retention settings

Gaard applies a retention window to classification data: classified videos, their results, and the artifacts derived from them are automatically deleted once they are older than the window. By default, data is kept for 30 days and then removed.

Retention is configured per tenant in the web app at Settings → Platform → Configuration → Retention. From there you can:

• change the retention window to match your policy, and
• enable or disable automatic deletion.

Cleanup runs on a schedule in the background. When data ages past the window, the platform deletes the results, the video, and their dependent artifacts from both the database and object storage. Per-camera overrides are supported, so a specific camera can keep data for a different period than the tenant default.

Note

Retention is about automatic, time-based deletion. To remove a specific item immediately, delete it directly (see below).

Deleting a classification

To remove a single classification on demand (including both the stored video and its results) delete it by its classify_id:

terminal

curl -X DELETE https://vision.gaard.ai/api/classify/<classify_id> \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <your-api-token>"

This deletes both the video and the classification results for that item. See the Delete a result endpoint reference for details.

GDPR erasure

Beyond routine retention and per-item deletion, Gaard provides an audited subject-erasure path for handling a data subject’s erasure request (for example, a GDPR right-to-erasure request).

Because footage is not indexed by personal identity, an authorized operator (such as your data protection officer) supplies the specific records to erase. The platform then:

• deletes the targeted dataset artifacts (the clips and their associated files) from storage,
• removes the associated labels so the data does not reappear, and
• writes an audit record capturing who performed the erasure, the subject reference, the reason, and exactly what was removed.

This path is restricted to the highest-privilege role and always requires a subject reference and at least one target, so erasure is deliberate and traceable. If you need to run an erasure, contact your Gaard administrator or support.

Caution

Erasure permanently deletes the targeted data. It is the sanctioned way to remove a subject’s data on request, and the action is recorded for audit.

EU data residency

On the cloud distribution, your videos, classification results, and account data are stored and processed in the European Union. On the on-premises distribution, all data stays on the infrastructure you operate: nothing leaves your network unless you configure an outbound integration. See Cloud vs On-Premises for the full comparison.

Next steps

• Security & Data Isolation: tenant isolation, tokens, and encryption at rest.
• Cloud vs On-Premises: where your data lives in each distribution.
• Exporting Data: get your data out before it ages past retention.