Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Twitter unveiled plans Friday to make it easier for users to take their personal data and leave one online service for another.

The "Data Transfer Project" revealed by the companies responds to concerns about the growing influence of internet platforms and internet user concerns about control of their personal information shared online.

"Users should be in control of their data on the web, part of this is the ability to move their data," the companies said on the project website.

Data portability has been a goal of many privacy activists, and is enshrined in some country regulations including Europe's new General Data Protection Regulation.

Currently, people can download their data from an online service, without a guarantee it will be possible or feasible to upload the information to a new service.

The situation can result in people feeling anchored to a service or app, even if they are unhappy with it or an enticing option arises, because of photos, contacts, posts and other accumulated data.

"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," the project said at its website.

"There are many use cases for users porting data directly between services, some we know about today, and some we have yet to discover."

Reasons for shifting personal data could include abandoning an old service, trying a new one, or simply backing up information to keep it safe.

The project was formed two years ago and remains in a development phase.

Disclosure of the effort comes amid heightened scrutiny over the potential of internet companies to abuse positions of power and the right of people to control their online data.

Related Links
Cyberwar - Internet Security News - Systems and Policy Issues

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

US Senate Republicans drop bid to block Trump's ZTE deal
Washington (AFP) July 20, 2018
US Senate Republicans on Friday dropped their effort to reimpose tough sanctions on Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE, a move Democrats lambasted as capitulating to President Donald Trump and his negotiating strategy with Beijing. ZTE, found guilty of violating sanctions by selling US goods to Iran and North Korea, had been slapped with Commerce Department penalties that barred US firms from doing business with the smartphone-making giant. But the Trump administration had ordered an end to the ... read more