# ADR-0008 · Default 30-day retention for Argentina

**Status**: accepted
**Date**: 2026-05

## Context

Camera retention is a regulated matter in most jurisdictions. Different markets have different defaults and limits:

- **Argentina (AAIP general)**: Resolución 4/2019 suggests 30 days as a guideline, longer requires justification.
- **CABA (Buenos Aires city)**: Ley 5.688 allows up to 60 days for surveillance in public spaces.
- **BCRA (banking)**: 90 days minimum for banking sector branches.
- **Spain (LOPDGDD)**: 30 days max default, deletion required after.
- **France (CNIL)**: 30 days default, longer with justification.
- **Germany (BDSG)**: 14 days is the recommended baseline, longer requires DPIA.

Setting a permissive default (e.g., 90 days) gives more flexibility to operators but **defaults are sticky** — operators rarely change them, and a permissive default in Argentina would put deployments out of compliance with AAIP guidance by default.

## Decision

The first-boot wizard sets retention based on **country selection**:

| Country | Default | Presets available |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 30 d | 60 d (CABA), 90 d (BCRA), 14 d (minimal) |
| Spain | 30 d | 14 d, 60 d (with justification) |
| France | 30 d | 14 d, 60 d |
| Germany | 14 d | 7 d, 30 d (with DPIA) |
| Italy | 7 d | 14 d, 30 d (Garante exception) |

For Argentina specifically: **30 days is the default**.

Per-camera override is supported in Frigate config. The wizard step that sets retention also notes the regulatory basis ("AAIP general guideline") so operators understand they're picking a regulatory profile, not just a number.

## Consequences

**Good**:
- Out-of-the-box compliance for the most common Argentine deployment.
- Operators are informed about regulatory basis, not just numbers.
- Sales material can claim "compliant by default in Argentina/EU".

**Bad / trade-offs**:
- 30 days isn't the right default for every Argentine deployment (e.g., banking would prefer 90). Mitigated by the preset selector.
- Country selection at first boot is a strong commitment that affects later decisions; operators rarely change it.

## See also

- `docs/06-legal/retention-argentina.md`
- `docs/06-legal/retention-eu.md`