Some of the biggest technology companies have teamed up to make it easier for users to transfer their data. Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter have founded the Data Transfer Project to enable users to move content, contacts, and more across different apps. The DTP is an open source data portability platform which any online service will be able to join.
Many online companies already allow their users to download their data but it’s then difficult to use the data elsewhere. The Data Transfer Project will yield a tool which will make it easier to use that data elsewhere as well but the tool isn’t quite available as yet, the tech giants have only presented a white paper for how the tool will work.
An industry standard for data portability will certainly make life easier for users. They will no longer be subject to data lock-ins which make it difficult for users to switch to other services.
The DTP is described as a common framework with open-source code which can connect any two online service providers in order to enable a seamless user initiated portability of data between two platforms.
More in-depth understanding of the project and its fundamentals is present in the white paper that the tech giants have put up on the DTP’s website.