Article summary
Compare retaining original images, temporary thumbnails and observation-only states after a Denmark +45 WhatsApp avatar task.
After a Denmark +45 avatar task, the key design question is not how many contacts have an image; it is whether the business needs the image or only a dated observation state. A richer retention layer creates more access, misuse and deletion responsibility.
Three retention designs
| Design | Suitable question | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Observation only | Profile-visibility statistics | Lowest |
| Temporary thumbnail | Limited human review | Strict expiry required |
| Long-term original image | Rarely necessary | High access and inference risk |
Name the decision that changes
“Enrich CRM” is not enough. State which review changes when avatar state differs and whether internal data can answer it with less information.
+45 only supports phone formatting
Preserve phone_raw and country_evidence. A calling code cannot prove residence, language, identity or permission.
A blank is not a conclusion about a person
Keep not observed, limited visibility, task unknown and format exception separate. A blank does not mean fake, low value or inactive.
Prohibit sensitive inference from images
Do not infer ethnicity, religion, health, politics, income, personality or age from an avatar. Availability of an image does not create unlimited purpose.
Separate TXT execution from image custody
TXT contains one phone per line while identity stays in a private crosswalk. Returned Excel and images enter restricted staging; ordinary operations read only the needed state.
Give images a shorter expiry
Define checked_at and delete_after before execution. When a state is sufficient, remove the image immediately after limited review instead of retaining it with CRM.
Accept through an access log
Record viewer, reason, export and deletion. A high image-return rate is not success; completing the same purpose with fewer views is.
The Denmark decision
Default to retaining an observation, not an image. Open a temporary thumbnail only when a stated review cannot use less data.
