DOSSIER / RECORD 02
Clothoff image-retention research: ask about each record
Look separately at the source file, generated output and account data. A general private label cannot explain their retention.
Start with data categories
An image workflow can create several records: the submitted file, a processed output, an account record and technical logs. List them separately before reading retention language. The categories need not have the same storage duration or removal process.
This dossier makes no claim about a verified Clothoff provider’s actual systems. It explains the questions a reader should ask when examining any service presented under that name.
Identify what triggers retention and removal
Ask whether content is retained by default, whether inactivity changes that behavior and which user action requests deletion. A phrase such as “as necessary” does not by itself provide a precise duration for a particular file.
Look for a distinction between deleting an individual item and closing an account. If a document describes one but omits the other, preserve that missing answer rather than treating them as equivalent.
Separate a policy statement from verification
A published statement is evidence of what an operator says. It is not an independent audit of storage or backups. An interface confirmation likewise shows that an action was accepted, not that this editorial site can inspect the provider’s infrastructure.
In your notes, use labels such as “document says,” “control visible” and “not verified.” These make the limits of the evidence understandable without turning uncertainty into a guarantee.
Keep identifying data out of a research report
Use neutral file labels when taking notes. Do not embed a person’s photograph or intimate synthetic content in a public report to illustrate a privacy problem. The page address and a minimal description can document the issue without redistributing it.
If a likeness has been used without permission, find the service’s reporting or content-removal route. Preserve only what is necessary to make the request and avoid creating additional public copies.
A practical record
| Record | Retention question |
|---|---|
| Source file | What keeps it stored and what removes it? |
| Generated output | Does it have a separate deletion control? |
| Account and logs | Which categories remain after account closure? |
A careful retention review names the record, the stated rule and the limit of what was verified.