Can I delete datasets from my dataverse after publishing?
Answer
Yale Dataverse is designed for long-term preservation and open data sharing. As such, it is difficult to fully delete datasets once they are published. The system keeps a record of all versions of uploaded files, and datasets are automatically assigned a DOI (digital object identifier) to ensure persistent web access independent of changing URLs. This DOI remains even after deleting a file, though the content will no longer be available.
We highly recommend that you only upload datasets that are ready for publication and ready for others to use. You can update files as new data becomes available, but previous versions will still be visible and accessible.
If you have accidentally published data that is sensitive or poses a high security risk (such as PII or identifiable medical data), please reach out to dataverseadmin@yale.edu for assistance. (Note that this email is only monitored during normal business hours).
There are two options for removing data from Yale Dataverse: deaccession and deletion. Only users designated as the admin for a given dataverse can delete and deaccess.
Deaccession removes an entire dataset from public view and from your dataverse; however, it will remain visible to dataverse administrators and the admin listed for the account. To deaccess a whole dataset (including all associated files), click the drop-down menu for “Edit Dataset” in the upper right.
Deletion permanently removes a single file from a dataset. To delete individual files, click the three buttons to the right of the file. The DOI remains associated with the dataset permanently, but after deletion will direct to a tombstone page indicating the data is no longer available.