Data Retention

Data retention describes how long information inside your school remains stored and accessible.

As a school leader, it is important to understand:

What types of data exist in your school
When data may be removed
Which actions are permanent
How structural changes affect stored information

Clear data management helps maintain transparency and member trust.

What Data Exists in a School?

A school may contain several types of data, including:

Messages posted in groups
Member records within the school
Role assignments
Group structures
Categories
Invitations
Moderation records (such as bans)

Each type of data behaves differently depending on the action taken.

Message Retention

Messages remain stored unless one of the following occurs:

A message is manually deleted (if the member has permission)
The group containing the message is deleted
The entire school is deleted

Deleting a group permanently removes all messages inside that group.

See:
→ Edit or Delete Groups

Member Data Retention

Different member actions affect stored data differently.

User Leaves the School

When a member leaves voluntarily:

They are removed from the school.
Their past messages usually remain visible.

Member Is Kicked

When a member is removed by a moderator:

They are removed from the school.
They may rejoin later depending on school access settings.
Historical messages typically remain.

Member Is Banned

When a member is banned:

They are permanently removed from the school.
They cannot rejoin unless the ban is removed.
Historical messages generally remain unless moderators delete them separately.

See:
→ Banned Users

Invitation Data

Invitation links or invitation codes remain valid until:

They are manually revoked
The school is deleted

Once an invitation is revoked, it cannot be restored.

See:
→ Manage Invitations

Group and Category Data

Structural changes affect how data is organized.

When a Category Is Deleted

Groups inside the category are not deleted
Those groups become uncategorized

When a Group Is Deleted

All messages inside the group are permanently removed
The action cannot be undone

School Deletion

Deleting the entire school permanently removes:

All groups
All messages
All members within the school
All structural configurations (roles, categories, permissions)

This action cannot be reversed.

See:
→ Delete School

No Automatic Expiration

By default:

Messages do not expire automatically
Bans do not expire automatically
Groups are not automatically archived

Data remains available until it is manually modified or removed.

Schools should manage data intentionally through governance and moderation practices.

Governance Best Practices

Responsible data management includes:

Reviewing group content before deleting groups
Communicating major structural changes to members
Keeping records of serious moderation actions
Periodically reviewing inactive groups
Considering long-term information needs

Thoughtful data practices strengthen institutional credibility.

Transparency and Member Trust

Members expect:

Predictable moderation decisions
Clear consequences for deletion actions
Responsible handling of stored information
Consistent governance practices

Unclear or inconsistent data handling may reduce trust.

Common Questions

Can Deleted Data Be Recovered?

No.

Actions such as deleting a group or deleting a school permanently remove the associated data.

Does Banning a Member Delete Their Messages?

No.

Banning removes access to the school but does not automatically remove past messages.

Moderators must delete messages separately if necessary.

Is There Automatic Archiving?

No.

Data management is manual unless the platform introduces additional retention policies in the future.