Automating the Right to Be Forgotten

Overview

The right to be forgotten – formally known as the right to erasure under GDPR Article 17 – gives individuals the right to request deletion of their personal data. For organizations, this means executing these deletions reliably, securely, and in compliance with strict legal requirements.

---

Legal Basis

According to GDPR Article 17, personal data must be deleted when:

• The data is no longer necessary for its original purpose
• The data subject withdraws consent
• The data was processed unlawfully
• Deletion is required by law
• The data subject objects to processing (Art. 21)

---

Challenges in Execution

Real-world implementation of Article 17 obligations faces obstacles such as:

• Data spread across multiple systems and formats
• Complex application landscapes and legacy software
• Difficulty establishing deletion sequences for dependent objects
• Need for logging and proof of erasure

---

Espresso’s Orchestration Platform

Espresso Data Privacy enables scalable deletion orchestration via:

• Central orchestration of data deletion across all systems
• Rule-based deletion policies per object type and retention period
• Detailed audit trail with deletion evidence
• Support for exceptions, locks, and manual approvals
• Secure API-based integration with existing infrastructure

---

Benefits for Your Organization

• Ensures legal compliance with Article 17 GDPR
• Reduces risk and legal exposure through transparency
• Minimizes manual workload via automation
• Supports multi-tenant and cross-system deletion

Learn more in our documentation or see the concept in action in the reference case.