Do not give every event file the same deletion date. A guest gallery, the photographer's working files, the organizer's selected archive, billing records, and an agreed historical collection all serve different purposes. Each needs its own owner and end condition.
Use the contract, internal policy, and applicable rules to set the exact dates. This guide helps build the schedule; it is not legal advice.
List every copy and purpose
One event can leave copies on memory cards, workstations, cloud backups, web galleries, sponsor folders, and social accounts. Face search may also create technical search data and session records. A note that says "delete after six months" is not useful unless it names the copies it covers.
For each copy, record its owner, location, purpose, access, start date, review date, and deletion action.
Use a retention schedule
| Data set | Purpose to document | End condition |
|---|---|---|
| Camera originals | Production and recovery | Contracted working period ends |
| Edited master | Delivery and agreed archive | Contract or archive review |
| Guest gallery | Participant access | Announced gallery closure |
| Search derivatives | Find event photos | Event retention or earlier request |
| Support record | Resolve requests and disputes | Support retention policy |
| Billing record | Accounting obligation | Statutory or policy period |
The responsible organization must choose the exact period and seek qualified advice where required.
Tell guests what happens
Tell guests when the gallery opens and closes, what the organizer keeps afterward, and how to request removal. If the gallery uses face search, include its search data in the same schedule.
Event Face Finder includes retention settings for organizers. The organizer still decides the policy that those settings apply.
Retention review checklist
- Every storage location identified
- Controller or owner named
- Purpose recorded for each copy
- Contract and local obligations checked
- Guest closure date communicated
- Deletion and backup propagation tested
- Legal or dispute holds documented
- Completion evidence retained without unnecessary media
Keep one working table with every copy, its owner, the event that triggers deletion, any exception, and the evidence that the task was completed.
Set up the gallery before you share it
Create the event, choose access and download rules, then test the guest route from a phone.
Create an event
