Perplexity AI · Perplexity Data Processing Addendum · View original document ↗

Return or Deletion of Data Upon Termination

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 343 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

This provision requires Perplexity to either return or delete all customer personal data upon termination of the agreement, subject to any applicable legal retention requirements, at the customer's election.

This analysis describes what Perplexity AI'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)

This clause implements the GDPR Article 28(3)(g) data return and deletion requirement and is operationally significant for customers managing data lifecycle obligations and vendor offboarding procedures.

Interpretive note: The specific timeline for completion of deletion or return after termination, and whether deletion extends to sub-processor and backup systems, were not fully recoverable from the rendered HTML.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Under this clause, enterprise customers may elect to receive a return of their personal data or require its deletion from Perplexity's systems upon contract termination; any retained copies permitted by law are subject to continued confidentiality and security obligations.

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
    Upon termination of your enterprise agreement, submit a written election to Perplexity specifying whether you require return or deletion of personal data processed under the DPA. Request written confirmation of completion.

How other platforms handle this

Threads Medium

We keep information for as long as we need it to provide our products, comply with legal obligations, or for other legitimate purposes, such as to maintain safety, security, and integrity.

Hinge Medium

After your account is deleted, we keep data about interactions you've had on our service to prevent abuse, ban evaders and others in an effort to protect and ensure the safety and security of our service and our members.

Ledger Medium

At Ledger, earning and maintaining our users' trust is a top priority. That's why we are deeply committed not only to protecting your privacy and securing your personal data, but also to being fully transparent about how we handle it.

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Upon termination or expiry of the Agreement, Perplexity shall, at the choice of the Controller, delete or return all Personal Data to the Controller and delete existing copies unless applicable law requires storage of the Personal Data.

— Excerpt from Perplexity AI's Perplexity Data Processing Addendum

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: GDPR Article 28(3)(g) requires processors to delete or return all personal data at the end of services and delete existing copies. This is a mandatory Article 28 obligation enforced by EU supervisory authorities and the UK ICO. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The practical scope of deletion, particularly for data that may have been used in AI model inference, logging, or caching, requires clarification. Customers should confirm whether deletion applies to all processing environments, including backup systems and sub-processor infrastructure. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU/EEA and UK jurisdictions require compliance with Article 28(3)(g). CCPA service provider agreements require analogous data deletion upon termination. Sector-specific retention laws (financial services, healthcare) may modify the timeline and scope of deletion obligations. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Procurement teams should establish a contractual offboarding timeline specifying when deletion or return will be completed after termination, request written confirmation of deletion upon completion, and assess whether deletion extends to sub-processor systems. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should document the data return or deletion election at contract termination and obtain written confirmation from Perplexity as evidence of compliance with Article 28(3)(g).

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC may assess representations about data deletion and retention practices for US-based AI service providers under Section 5 of the FTC Act
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

EU AI Act
European Union
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Colorado AI Act
US-CO
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
EU AI Act - High Risk Provisions
EU
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Perplexity Data Processing Addendum
Entity
Perplexity AI
Document last updated
May 11, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 20, 2026
Last verified
May 20, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-012525
Document ID
CA-D-00763
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
61697cbb1c18a7a28081155d70cf99014b9992499f132de0fdcf9e47e0139ecc
Analysis generated
May 20, 2026 22:20 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Perplexity AI
Document: Perplexity Data Processing Addendum
Record ID: CA-P-012525
Captured: 2026-05-20 22:20:53 UTC
SHA-256: 61697cbb1c18a7a2…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/perplexity-ai/perplexity-data-processing-addendum/return-or-deletion-of-data-upon-termination/
Accessed: June 8, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Perplexity AI's Return or Deletion of Data Upon Termination clause do?

This clause implements the GDPR Article 28(3)(g) data return and deletion requirement and is operationally significant for customers managing data lifecycle obligations and vendor offboarding procedures.

How does this clause affect you?

Under this clause, enterprise customers may elect to receive a return of their personal data or require its deletion from Perplexity's systems upon contract termination; any retained copies permitted by law are subject to continued confidentiality and security obligations.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Perplexity AI?

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