GDPR and creator analytics: what agencies must get right

It is easy to think of follower counts and engagement rates as "just numbers" — but once they're tied to an identifiable creator (and they always are, by definition), GDPR applies the same way it would to a customer record. That means a lawful basis for processing, a retention rationale that isn't "forever, just in case", and a real answer if a creator asks what data an agency holds on them.

The practical failure mode is less about malice and more about sprawl: platform stats copied into three different spreadsheets, none of which anyone remembers to delete when a creator leaves the roster. A single system of record with a clear retention policy closes that gap by construction rather than by reminder.