Plus backups should be time gated, where the software physically blocks you from removing backups for X days.

This is one of those things that seems like a good idea on the surface but is rife with problems.

Does the company hosting the backups do it for free? Or do they charge their customers to keep holding onto backups they no longer want?

Is “my DB company refuses to delete the data” a valid legal response to a copyright enforcement or a GDPR demand?

I have no idea about the former but yes, it is a valid excuse for latter. Ok, maybe not that specific one but in general backups are going to be excluded, especially those stored on tapes or WORM media - no one expects company to remove offending record here and now, as long it is inaccessible for all practical purposes.

The GDPR says:

> The data subject shall have the right to obtain from the controller the erasure of personal data concerning him or her without undue delay and the controller shall have the obligation to erase personal data without undue delay

"Undue delay" is subjective, but "we'll keep backups of your data for a week in case you change your mind" seems easy to justify in court.