The Data Transfer Project is a new team-up between tech giants to let you move your content, contacts, and more between apps. Founded by Facebook, Google, Twitter, an Microsoft, the DTP today revealed its plans for an open source data portability platform any online service can join. While many com\u2026<\/b>
\nThe Data Transfer Project is a new team-up between tech giants to let you move your content, contacts, and more between apps. Founded by Facebook, Google, Twitter, an Microsoft, the DTP today revealed its plans for an open source data portability platform any online service can join. While many companies already let you download your information, that\u2019s not very helpful if you can\u2019t easily upload and use it elsewhere \u2014 whether you want to evacuate a social network you hate, back up your data somewhere new, or bring your digital identity along when you try new app. The DTP\u2019s tool isn\u2019t ready for use yet, but the group today laid out a white paper for how it will work.
Creating an industry standard for data portability could force companies to compete on utility instead of being protected by data lock-in that traps users because it\u2019s tough to switch services. The DTP could potentially offer a solution to a major problem with social networks I detailed in April: you can\u2019t find your friends from one app on another. We\u2019ve asked Facebook for details on if and how you\u2019ll be able to transfer your social connections and friends\u2019 contact info which it\u2019s historically hoarded.
From playlists in music streaming services to health data from fitness trackers to our reams of photos and videos, the DTP could be a boon for startups. Incumbent tech giants maintain a huge advantage in popularizing new functionality because they instantly interoperate with a user\u2019s existing data rather than making them start from scratch. Even if a social networking startup builds a better location sharing feature, personalized avatar, or payment system, it might be a lot easier to use Facebook\u2019s clone of it because that\u2019s where your profile, friends, and photos live.
If the DTP gains industry-wide momentum and its founding partners cooperate in good faith rather than at some bare minimum involvement, it could lower the barrier for people to experiment with new apps. Meanwhile, the tech giants could argue that the government shouldn\u2019t step in to regulate them or break them up because DTP means users are free to choose whichever app best competes for their data and attention.<\/p>\n

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