Tech Giants Join Forces to Enable Seamless Data Transfer Across Platforms

Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Twitter are launching a new project to enable seamless transfer of data across platforms. The tech giants today launched the Data Transfer Project, or DTP for short, in an effort to make users’ data portable.

The DTP involves making use of existing APIs and authorization mechanisms to build a system whereby users can simply take data from one platform to another without having to manually do it themselves. So for example, if you are moving your photos from Microsoft OneDrive to Google Photos, instead of having to spend hours downloading the pictures from OneDrive and then upload them to Google Photos, you could simply use of the DTP tech to transfer them without all the hassle.

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“Users should be in control of their data on the web, part of this is the ability to move their data. Currently, users can download a copy of their data from most services, but that is only half the battle in terms of moving their data. DTP aims to make move data between providers significantly easier for users,” the DTP project website mentions. The companies have released a whitepaper detailing the technicalities behind the project, and the open-source project is also available through GitHub for interested developers to look into.

DTP would make things significantly better not only for users but also for the developers building the world’s leading platforms. Just imagine being able to transfer your biometric data or location history from a service like Google Maps to Foursquare, or your Microsoft Account. Or better yet, imagine being able to move your music from Apple Music to Spotify without going through the hassle of doing things manually. For the companies involved — DTP makes it so they don’t have to gather all your data manually, and they can instantly get access to your existing data that can be used to provide a more personalised service, for example. That is, of course, if your privacy isn’t being violated.

Either way, the project isn’t ready for the public yet — but the proposition is insanely clever, and something which should’ve existed for years.

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Conversation 12 comments

  • MikeGalos

    20 July, 2018 - 10:33 am

    <p>That last phrase should be: "the proposition is insanely difficult, and that's why it hasn't existed despite everyone knowing they wanted to do it for years."</p>

    • bluvg

      20 July, 2018 - 1:00 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#294017"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>Exactly. Calling this "insanely clever" is very Jobsian in its attempt to reframe something as "magical" that is not only obvious, but that many people have been asking for many years.</p>

  • Chris_Kez

    Premium Member
    20 July, 2018 - 10:34 am

    <p>What I really want is for Facebook to enable users to transfer their <em>network</em>, so if a new social network springs up people can seamlessly transfer their friend list and vice-versa, allowing us to quickly get up and running. </p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      20 July, 2018 - 11:53 am

      <blockquote><a href="#294018"><em>In reply to Chris_Kez:</em></a></blockquote><p>Facebook already got in trouble for allowing third parties (Cambridge Analitica) access to information about your friends. I doubt they would be willing to do that again.</p>

      • Chris_Kez

        Premium Member
        20 July, 2018 - 1:45 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#294058"><em>In reply to lvthunder:</em></a></blockquote><p>Not quite the same thing. </p>

  • Waethorn

    20 July, 2018 - 11:18 am

    <p>"any collusion?"</p>

  • GetEdumated

    20 July, 2018 - 12:54 pm

    <p>If it's anything like the transfer between Groove and Spotify, they shouldn't bother. I have to rebuild the whole list myself anyway…</p>

  • cheetahdriver

    Premium Member
    20 July, 2018 - 3:19 pm

    <p>I am really wondering why this would be a good thing… I guess I see the "sand in the gears" as being a positive in a world where these companies want to know everything about us. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

  • Pbike908

    20 July, 2018 - 7:59 pm

    <p>I call BS on this. They are just looking for a PR score. This will only happen after pigs start flying </p>

  • BBoileau

    Premium Member
    20 July, 2018 - 10:04 pm

    <p>No surprise that the fruit company isn't listed as a part of this initiative. Great idea with many useful scenarios.</p>

  • skane2600

    21 July, 2018 - 9:25 pm

    <p>Wasn't XML and SOAP supposed to do this?</p>

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