How long does Reddit keep deleted account data?

Answered by Frank Schwing

According to Reddit’s privacy policy, the company retains certain user data for a period of time before deleting it from their servers. However, they do state that they delete most of the data associated with a deleted account every 100 days. This means that after 100 days of deleting your account, the majority of your data will no longer be stored by Reddit.

It’s important to note that while most of the data is deleted, Reddit does retain some information for longer periods of time. The only piece of data explicitly mentioned in their privacy policy is the IP address you used when creating your account. This means that Reddit may keep a record of the IP address associated with your deleted account for a longer period, even after the other data is deleted.

The retention of IP addresses is not uncommon among online platforms, as it can be useful for various purposes such as security, fraud prevention, and compliance with legal obligations. However, it’s worth noting that Reddit does not specify how long they retain these IP addresses in their privacy policy.

It’s important to keep in mind that privacy policies can change over time, so it’s always a good idea to review the most up-to-date version on Reddit’s website. Additionally, different jurisdictions may have different legal requirements regarding data retention, so the specific laws applicable to your country or region may also impact the length of time Reddit retains certain data.

In my personal experience, I’ve seen many online platforms implement data retention policies to strike a balance between user privacy and the need for certain data to fulfill their services. It’s not uncommon for platforms to retain data for a certain period before deleting it, as it can be necessary for operational, security, or legal reasons.

While Reddit does delete most of the data associated with a deleted account every 100 days, they may retain the IP address used during account creation for a longer period. It’s always a good idea to review the privacy policy to stay informed about how long your data is retained and what information is kept.