That old customer list on your desktop? It's a legal risk waiting to happen.
Think about this. You collected a customer's phone number six months ago. You are done with that order. But that number is still sitting in a WhatsApp group. It is also in a spreadsheet on your laptop. Under India's new data law, keeping people's information longer than needed is a mistake. And it can cost you.
Say you run a small school. You collected parents' phone numbers for admissions last year. Admissions are over. But those numbers are still in a WhatsApp group and a Google Sheet. That is a problem. Or say you own a shop. A vendor sent his Aadhaar copy on WhatsApp. You never deleted it. That copy is still there. Under the new law, you must delete people's information once your work with it is done. Informal tools like WhatsApp and spreadsheets feel easy. But they create real legal risk.
Open your WhatsApp and delete old chats with customer Aadhaar or PAN copies.
Check all desktop spreadsheets and delete customer data you no longer need.
Check if your business is ready. Takes 3 minutes. Visit saralprivacy.com/assessment
“Convenience is where governance goes to die.”
Free — takes 3 minutes
Answer a few simple questions. Get your free Readiness Score — sent to your email or WhatsApp.
Check My Readiness →Take our free 3–5 minute industry assessment to find out your compliance risk level.
Take Free Assessment →Free Download
The Complete DPDPA Compliance Guide
Plain English. Everything your business needs to understand the DPDP Rules 2025 — written for founders, not lawyers. Now in 7 Indian languages.
Download the Guide →5 Ready-to-Use Templates
Start complying — not just reading
Privacy Notice, Consent Language, Data Inventory, DSR SOP, Vendor Register. Delivered free to your email.
2-min reads, plain English, every morning. Free forever.
