Is it possible to erase the data on an lto tape?

Yes, data on an LTO tape can be erased in different ways depending on the requirement. A short erase only clears the tape’s index and marks it as empty, but the data remains until overwritten. A full erase overwrites the entire tape, removing all existing data, though the process takes longer. Writing new backups can also overwrite and remove old data. For situations where complete and permanent removal is needed, degaussing is the most secure option, but it also renders the tape unusable.