US Patent 11868505 Automatic self-removal of sensitive data items

System, method, and/or computer program product embodiments for automatic removal of sensitive data items from records are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, a record with a sensitive field (for storing a sensitive data item) is linked to a self-removal data policy that includes a condition set. When the condition set is true, the sensitive data item is automatically removed from the record without deleting the record and without removing other data items stored in other fields of the record. Conditions may be associated with a time period following the upload or storage of the sensitive date item, the occurrence of an event that requires the sensitive date item, a read or approval of the sensitive data item, etc. A user may modify a condition in the condition set to make the condition more stringent or less stringent.