This provision requires Google, at the advertiser's election, to delete or return all advertiser personal data upon termination of the relevant Google Ads services, unless applicable law requires Google to retain the data.
This analysis describes what Google Ads'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
This clause governs the disposition of advertiser personal data at the end of the service relationship, implementing the GDPR Article 28(3)(g) requirement. Advertisers should understand the procedures for exercising this right and confirm what data categories are covered, including data stored in Google's ad serving and reporting infrastructure.
Interpretive note: The practical procedure for exercising the deletion or return right and the timeline for Google's compliance are not specified in the clause text available; advertisers should consult Google's support documentation or account team for operational details.
Under this clause, personal data processed through Google Ads will be deleted or returned to the advertiser upon termination of services, subject to any legal retention requirements applicable to Google. The practical scope of data covered depends on the categories stored in Google's ad platform infrastructure.
How other platforms handle this
Some operating system developers, such as Apple, allow mobile application users to request deletion of accounts created within an application. If you request deletion of your account, State Farm may still retain your information for legal, auditing, regulatory and business purposes. Retention period...
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. You may request deletion of your personal information by submitting a request through our privacy request form or by contacting us at pri...
We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. To determine the appropriate retention period, we consider the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the p...
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"At the choice of the Customer, Google will delete or return all Customer Personal Data to the Customer after the end of the provision of the Google Ads services relating to processing, and delete existing copies unless Union or Member State law requires storage of the Personal Data.— Excerpt from Google Ads's Google Ads Data Processing Terms
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision implements the GDPR Article 28(3)(g) requirement that processors delete or return all personal data to the controller at the end of service provision. The retention exception for Union or Member State law requirements is a standard GDPR-permitted carve-out. Enforcement authority rests with EU supervisory authorities. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Low to Medium. Advertisers should confirm the procedure for requesting deletion or return and what data categories are practically available for return versus deletion only. Data stored in Google's aggregated or anonymized reporting systems may not be subject to this obligation if it is no longer attributable to individual data subjects. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU and UK advertisers should document the deletion or return procedure as part of their GDPR Article 30 records. Advertisers in jurisdictions with independent data retention or disposal obligations should evaluate whether Google's deletion mechanism satisfies those requirements. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Procurement teams should confirm the specific data deletion procedures Google employs, the timeline for completion, and whether a certificate of deletion is provided. The carve-out for legally required retention should be evaluated to understand what categories of data Google may retain after service termination. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should establish offboarding procedures that include a formal data deletion or return request to Google upon service termination. Records of the deletion request and confirmation should be retained as evidence of compliance with GDPR Article 28(3)(g).
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This clause governs the disposition of advertiser personal data at the end of the service relationship, implementing the GDPR Article 28(3)(g) requirement. Advertisers should understand the procedures for exercising this right and confirm what data categories are covered, including data stored in Google's ad serving and reporting infrastructure.
Under this clause, personal data processed through Google Ads will be deleted or returned to the advertiser upon termination of services, subject to any legal retention requirements applicable to Google. The practical scope of data covered depends on the categories stored in Google's ad platform infrastructure.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google Ads.