What can I do about this clause?

{'method': 'EMAIL', 'recipient': 'privacy@coursera.org', 'difficulty': 'MODERATE', 'action_type': 'DELETE_DATA', 'instructions': 'Email privacy@coursera.org to request deletion of your personal data and ask for confirmation that data has been removed from all systems including backups.', 'deadline_days': None, 'deadline_hours': None}

Which regulatory agencies enforce this type of clause?

{'agency': 'FTC', 'reason': 'FTC may treat indefinite or unclear data retention practices as unfair or deceptive under FTC Act Section 5.', 'complaint_url': 'https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/'}

What is the severity of this clause?

ConductAtlas classifies this Data Retention clause as medium severity. Severity reflects the magnitude of rights affected, the breadth of users impacted, and the degree of discretion the platform retains.

Do other platforms have similar clauses?

Yes. ConductAtlas has identified similar Data Retention clauses across approximately 39 other tracked platforms. You can compare how platforms differ on this clause type in the cross-platform comparison view.

Data Retention — Coursera

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What it is

Coursera keeps your personal data for as long as it decides is necessary for its business or legal purposes, using a factors-based assessment rather than a fixed retention schedule.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Coursera does not commit to specific data retention timeframes, meaning your personal data including course history, behavioral profiles, and payment information could be retained indefinitely at Coursera's discretion subject to legal minimums.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Delete Your Data

Email privacy@coursera.org to request deletion of your personal data and ask for confirmation that data has been removed from all systems including backups.

Cross-platform context

See how other platforms handle Data Retention and similar clauses.

Compare across platforms →

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

The absence of specific, fixed retention periods means Coursera may retain your learning data, behavioral history, and personal information for extended and indefinite periods.

View original clause language

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

(1) REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision engages GDPR Art. 5(1)(e) (storage limitation principle — data kept no longer than necessary); UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(e); CCPA/CPRA requirements to disclose retention periods or criteria; and FERPA requirements for education record retention. Enforcement: EU DPAs, UK ICO, California Privacy Protection Agency. (2)

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Applicable agencies

FTC

FTC may treat indefinite or unclear data retention practices as unfair or deceptive under FTC Act Section 5.
File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information

Document

Coursera Privacy Notice

Entity

Coursera

Document last updated

April 29, 2026

Tracking information

First tracked

April 18, 2026

Last verified

April 18, 2026

Record ID

CA-P-002859

Document ID

CA-D-00158

Evidence Provenance

Source URL

https://www.coursera.org/about/privacy

Wayback Machine

View archived versions →

SHA-256

062caff3444fccccf0cccb271ab50fff394a5a3641a48727efc029ee14593866

Verified

✓ Snapshot stored ✓ Change verified

How to Cite

ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Coursera | Document: Coursera Privacy Notice | Record: CA-P-002859
Captured: 2026-04-18 10:17:08 UTC | SHA-256: 062caff3444fcccc…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/coursera/coursera-privacy-notice/data-retention/
Accessed: May 2, 2026

Classification

Severity

Medium

Data Retention