🚨 Apple Mandate

Since June 2022, Apple has mandated that any app supporting account creation must also support account deletion within the app. Simply telling users to "email support" is often no longer sufficient for compliance if you have complex data retention.

Building a secure backend endpoint just to handle deletion requests is a waste of engineering time. You have to verify the user, log the request, and manually scrub the database.

What Apple Actually Requires

1. In-App Deletion Option

Users must be able to initiate account deletion from within your app, not just through email.

2. Clear Communication

You must explain what data will be deleted and what might be retained for legal reasons.

3. Reasonable Timeframe

Deletion should occur within a reasonable period (typically 30 days) unless there are legal retention requirements.

4. Audit Trail

For GDPR/CCPA compliance, you need to log deletion requests with timestamps and user identification.

The Traditional (Hard) Way

Building It Yourself Requires:

Authentication endpoint to verify user identity
Database queries to cascade delete across multiple tables
Email notification system
Audit logging for compliance
UI components in your app

Estimated development time: 8-12 hours for a basic implementation

The "Lazy" Way to Comply

Instead of hardcoding a form, treat deletion as a service. Launchinseconds provides a hosted "Data Deletion Request" form that:

Verifies the user through email confirmation

Logs the request for GDPR/CCPA compliance with timestamps

Sends you a structured notification to execute the deletion

Implementation in 3 Steps

Generate Your Form

Add Button to Your App

In your app's settings screen, add a "Delete My Account" button that opens your form URL. Example code:

// React Native example
<TouchableOpacity 
  onPress={() => 
    Linking.openURL('https://yourapp.com/deletion')
  }
>
  <Text>Delete My Account</Text>
</TouchableOpacity>

Process Requests

When a user submits the form, you'll receive an email with their details. Execute the deletion in your database within 30 days.

Pro Tip: Link this form in your app settings, and you meet the Apple requirement instantly without writing a single line of backend code.

GDPR & CCPA Compliance Benefits

Beyond Apple's requirements, proper deletion handling is required by:

🇪🇺 GDPR (Europe)

"Right to erasure" (Article 17) requires you to delete user data upon request within 30 days.

🇺🇸 CCPA (California)

Consumers have the right to request deletion of personal information collected by businesses.

The "Delete Account" Button is Now Mandatory. Here is How to Implement It.