Data Deletion Request Template

Disclaimer: the following guide is not to be used for any legal purposes and was not created by legal professionals.

What are data deletion requests?

If you live in Europe, Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data deletion templates are structured formats or guidelines used to request the deletion of personal data held by an organization.

GDPR grants individuals the "right to erasure" (also known as the "right to be forgotten"), allowing them to request the deletion of their personal data in certain circumstances.

The information contained in a deletion request greatly affect the time required for companies to successfully process it. Although there is not a universal format for a deletion request, one must contain the following elements for it to be effective.

Key elements of data deletion templates

1. Identification information:

• Full name of the individual requesting the deletion.
• Contact details (address, email, phone number). Depending on your relationship with the company (also known as a Data Controller) you may be required to provide other identifiers such as an account number as you will see below. It is important to not share more information than is required or was required at sign-up.

2. Data subject's rights:

• A statement asserting your right to request data deletion under GDPR Article 17.

3. Details of the data to be deleted:

• Specific information about the data that you want to be deleted. One thing that you must understand is that data deletion generally implies the deletion of an account you have with a provider together with all of the underlying data. Example: If you ask Facebook for data deletion, this will imply that you need to also delete your Facebook account.
• Any relevant account numbers, user IDs, or other identifiers.

4. Company information:

• Name and contact details of the organization holding the data.

5. Reason for deletion request:

• Justification for the deletion request (e.g., data no longer necessary, withdrawal of consent, unlawful processing, objection to processing, etc.).

3 Data deletion templates

There are three ways you can send your request for data deletion. Use given data deletion templates according to your needs and you can get your data deleted from company that are storing your personal data.

1. Basic data deletion template

Subject: Request for Deletion of Personal Data Dear Company Name/Support Team,

I am writing to formally request the deletion of all personal data associated with > my account, in accordance with applicable data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR, > CCPA). Please find the relevant details below:

Full Name: Your Full Name

• Email Address/Username: Your Email or Username
• Account ID (if applicable): Your Account ID
• Reason for Request (optional): Optional brief reason, e.g., "I no longer use > the service."

I kindly ask that you remove all personal data, including but not limited to account details, transaction history, and any other information you may have stored. Additionally, please confirm via email once the data has been completely deleted, and provide information on any further actions, if necessary.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely, Your Name

DOWNLOAD Data Deletion Template

2. Advance data deletion template

Subject: Request for Deletion of Personal Data

FROM

• Your Name:
• Your Address:
• Email Address:
• Phone Number:
• Date:

TO

• Data Protection Officer's Name:
• Company Name:
• Company Address:

Dear -Data Protection Officer's Name-, I am writing to formally request the deletion of my personal data held by your company in accordance with Article 17 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Details of the personal data I request to be deleted are as follows:

• List specific data to be deleted, e.g., name, email address, phone number, account information, etc.; You can also specify that you would like ALL personal data to be deleted.
• Include any relevant identifiers, such as account numbers, user IDs, etc.

The reason for this request is:

• Provide the reason for the deletion request, e.g., data is no longer necessary, I withdraw my consent, unlawful processing, etc.

I kindly request you to confirm in writing once the deletion has been completed or inform me if further information is required to process my request. > Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Yours sincerely,

• Your Signature
• Your Printed Name

3. Advanced data deletion request template with selective data to be deleted

This Data Deletion Request Template is also available on GDPR.EU. You may find this Data Deletion Request Template asks for quite a lot of your information. Keep in mind that the information you provide in this template, or any other Data Deletion Request Form, will only be used for the purposes of the personal data you are requesting that we erase and respond to your request.

Subject: Request for Deletion of Personal Data

SECTION 1: Details of the person requesting information

• Full name:
• Address:
• Contact telephone number:
• Email address:

SECTION 2: Are you the data subject?

Please tick the appropriate box and read the instructions which follow it.

☐ YES: I am the data subject. I enclose proof of my identity (see below). (Please > go to Section 4)

☐ NO: I am acting on behalf of the data subject. I have enclosed the data subject’s >written authority and proof of the data subject’s identity and my own identity (see >below). (Please go to Section 3)

To ensure we are erasing data of the right person we require you to provide us with proof of your identity and of your address. Please supply us with a photocopy or scanned image (do not send the originals) of one or both of the following:

1) Proof of Identity Passport, photo driver’s licence, national identity card, birth certificate.

2) Proof of Address Utility bill, bank statement, credit card statement (no more than 3 months old); current driver’s licence; If we are not satisfied you are who you claim to be, we reserve the right to refuse to grant your request.

SECTION 3: Details of the data subject (if different from section 1)

• Full name:
• Address:
• Contact telephone number:
• Email address:

SECTION 4: Reason for erasure request

Please tick the appropriate box:

☐ You feel your personal data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which we originally collected it.

☐ You no longer consent to our processing of your personal data.

☐ You object to our processing of your personal data as is your right under Article 21 of the GDPR.

☐ You feel your personal data has been unlawfully processed.

☐ You feel we are subject to a legal obligation of the EU or Member State that requires the erasure of your personal data.

☐ You are a child, you represent a child, or you were a child at the time of the data processing and you feel your personal data was used to offer you information society services.

SECTION 5: What information do you wish to erase?

Please describe the information you wish to erase. Please provide any relevant details you think will help us to identify the information.

Providing the URL for each link you wish to be removed would be helpful.

Also, please explain, if it is not abundantly clear, why the linked page is about you or the person you are representing on this form.

SECTION 6: Declaration

I confirm that I have read and understood the terms of this subject access form and certify that the information given in this application to Company Name is true.

Signed:

Date:

Example documents which may accompany this application:

• Evidence of your identity (see section 2)
• Evidence of the data subject’s identity (if different from above)
• Authorization from the data subject to act on their behalf (if applicable)
• Justification for erasure of data (see section 4)

4. Use AgainstData for data deletion

The best and most efficient way to send a data deletion is to use AgainstData.com The platform shows you the companies that have your personal data, creates a Data Deletion Request Template automatically that you can send with the press of one button.

To send Data Deletion Request Forms to the companies that you no longer use, all you have to do it follow these steps:

• Go to AgainstData.com
• Sign-in with your Gmail account
• See which companies have your data
• Ask for deletion with 1 click

According to the GDPR, companies have to answer in under 30 days. These answers might get lost in your email, that’s why AgainstData.com has a dedicated section where you can see all the requests that were sent, when they were sent, and what the companies answered.

If you want to send Data Deletion Request Forms and clean your digital trail, AgainstData.com is definitely the easiest and fastest way to do it!

FAQs

1. Do I need to customize a data deletion template, or can I use it as-is?

You should customize the template to accurately reflect your personal information and the specific data you want deleted. This helps companies better understand the scope of your request and makes it more likely to be processed quickly.

2. Is there a specific format to follow when submitting a data deletion request?

While there is no universally required format, most templates are structured as letters or forms and should be clear and direct. Ensure you provide all necessary details, so that companies can better identify who you are and what your request is about.

3. Why would I need to use a data deletion request template?

If you want to have personal data removed from an organization's databases or if you no longer wish a company to hold your information, a data deletion request template provides a formal and effective way to make this request. This ensures that the ccompany will likely have a legal obligation to fullfil your request.