Abstract: A method and system for implementing data retention policies on data stored within distributed file systems. Embodiments of the technology enable a content object retention management controller to apply a data retention policy on sets of content objects stored on a distributed file system via a single proxy object. In one or more embodiments of the technology, the request to apply the data retention policy on the single proxy object ultimately propagates the application of the data retention policy to the set of associated content objects (and, as appropriate, directories) stored in the distributed file system. In one or more embodiments of the technology, a content object may be a file (or any portion thereof) and/or a directory (or any portion thereof).