Coursera · Coursera Privacy Notice · View original document ↗

Data Retention After Account Deletion

Medium severity Rare · 8 of 325 platforms
Share 𝕏 Share in Share 🔒 PDF
Recent governance activity Coursera recorded 6 documented changes in the last 30 days.
Start monitoring updates
Monitor governance changes for Coursera Create a free account to receive the weekly governance digest and monitor one platform for governance changes.
Create free account No credit card required.

This analysis describes what Coursera's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The clause defines the data retention scope post-deletion, establishing that account closure does not automatically trigger immediate deletion of all personal data. This creates operational categories of information subject to extended retention periods based on specified business and legal justifications.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

Medium May 11, 2026

The updated terms now explicitly disclose that Coursera processes communications through voice-enabled features that transcribe audio into text, and clarify that personal data may be shared with third parties including affiliates and business partners. The policy expands descriptions of AI-driven personalization and chatbot applications that use your learning and interaction data. The terms establish that data may be transferred to entities that become Coursera affiliates or subsidiaries during business transitions. You should review the updated guidance that cautions against including unnecessary or sensitive personal data in the platform's free-text and voice-enabled communication features.

View change record →
Medium Apr 18, 2026

The updated Privacy Notice removes explicit language stating that the policy does not apply to Coursera's Ollie mobile application and no longer directs users to a separate Ollie Privacy Notice for that app. Previously, users of Ollie had clear notice to consult a dedicated privacy policy; that direction is now absent from the main Privacy Notice. The updated notice also narrows the scope of covered entities by removing 'affiliates' from the definition of Coursera, stating the policy now applies to Coursera, Inc., its subsidiaries, and international branches only. Users of the Ollie App should independently verify what privacy terms currently govern that application, as the main Coursera Privacy Notice no longer explicitly addresses Ollie coverage.

View change record →

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users' personal data remains subject to retention after account deletion in accordance with Coursera's stated purposes, including legal compliance, dispute resolution, and agreement enforcement. The provision specifies that certain information categories fall outside the standard deletion process upon account closure.

How other platforms handle this

X Medium

If you follow the instructions here, your account will be deactivated and your data will be queued for deletion. When deactivated, your X account, including your display name, username, and public profile, will no longer be viewable on X.com, X for iOS, and X for Android. For up to 30 days after dea...

Reddit Medium

When you delete your account, your profile is no longer visible to other users and disassociated from content you posted under that account. Please note, however, that the posts, comments, and messages you submitted prior to deleting your account will still be visible to others unless you first dele...

WhatsApp Medium

We store information until it is no longer necessary to provide our services and WhatsApp Products, or until your account is deleted or becomes inactive, whichever comes first. This is a case-by-case determination that depends on things like the nature of the information, why it is collected and pro...

See all platforms with this clause type →

Monitoring

Coursera has changed this document before.

Receive same-day alerts, structured change summaries, and monitoring for up to 10 platforms.

Start Watcher free trial Or create a free account →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
We generally retain personal data for as long as needed to provide the services and for the other purposes set out in this privacy notice. We retain certain information after your account is closed, for example to meet our legal obligations (such as maintaining records of transactions), resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and as described in this notice.

— Excerpt from Coursera's Coursera Privacy Notice

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
UK GDPR
United Kingdom

Provision details

Document information
Document
Coursera Privacy Notice
Entity
Coursera
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-006202
Document ID
CA-D-00158
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
59834b4e08e538f4b11e3db8b297dc7b75811100ba60ce40b60950ff40b3b3a6
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 18:17 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Coursera
Document: Coursera Privacy Notice
Record ID: CA-P-006202
Captured: 2026-05-10 18:17:25 UTC
SHA-256: 59834b4e08e538f4…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coursera/coursera-privacy-notice/data-retention-after-account-deletion/
Accessed: May 20, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

Professional Governance Intelligence

Need to monitor specific governance provisions?

Professional includes provision-level monitoring, governance timelines, regulatory mapping, and audit-ready analysis.

Arbitration clauses AI governance Data rights Indemnification Retention policies
Start Professional free trial

Or start with Watcher →

Built from archived source documents, structured governance mappings, and historical version tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Coursera's Data Retention After Account Deletion clause do?

The clause defines the data retention scope post-deletion, establishing that account closure does not automatically trigger immediate deletion of all personal data. This creates operational categories of information subject to extended retention periods based on specified business and legal justifications.

How does this clause affect you?

Users' personal data remains subject to retention after account deletion in accordance with Coursera's stated purposes, including legal compliance, dispute resolution, and agreement enforcement. The provision specifies that certain information categories fall outside the standard deletion process upon account closure.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 8 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Coursera?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Coursera.