Facebook launched their Data Transfer Project BETA exclusively in Ireland this month. November 2019 showcases a tool that gives those living in Ireland the opportunity to transfer large quantities of their Facebook photos and videos between services. This is part of a wider initiative called the data sharing project.

What is the data sharing project?

“The Data Transfer Project was launched in 2018 to create an open-source, service-to-service data portability platform so that all individuals across the web could easily move their data between online service providers whenever they want. The contributors to the Data Transfer Project believe portability and interoperability are central to innovation. Making it easier for individuals to choose among services facilitates competition, empowers individuals to try new services and enables them to choose the offering that best suits their needs. Current contributors include: Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter.”

Can people in the UK use this yet?

“We plan to expand this to other services in the near future. This tool will begin rolling out in Ireland today and will be available worldwide in early 2020.”

So, what does this tool intend to do?

“The mission of the Data Transfer Project is to create an open source, service-to-service data portability platform so that all individuals across the web can easily move their data between online service providers whenever they want. The project does this by providing an open source library that any service can use to run and manage direct transfers on behalf of users.”

Where can you currently transfer too?

Currently, Facebook allows its users to transfer photos and videos to Google photos.

Why would Facebook do this?

Cynics in the comments section of articles are distrustful of the sharing of the data across the platforms. They fear that Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter are pooling their resources and spreading their reach. Facebook’s official stance is this: 'We believe that if you share data with one service, you should be able to move it to another', said Steve Satterfield, Director of Privacy at Facebook. ‘That’s the principle of data portability, which gives people control and choice while also encouraging innovation.' We are not convinced, but with such prevalent giants onboard, this looks to be the direction we are heading in.

What are your thoughts, let us know at info@kaumediagroup.com. For more information, check out this link https://engineering.fb.com/security/data-transfer-project/