TechCrunch - Facebook, Google And Plaxo Join The DataPortability Workgroup
After publishing an invitation to Facebook to join the DataPortability Working Group January 4,
we never thought that Facebook would accept it. Today changes
everything you’ve ever thought about social-networking data and lock-in
before, because today Facebook, Google and Plaxo have joined the DataPortability Workgroup
.
Google and Plaxo joining are a positive, however given that both have previously joined together for platforms such as OpenSocial it’s not that significant, but Facebook is another matter. On January 4 Michael sort of defended Facebook’s stance against Plaxo pulling data from Facebook on the grounds that “Facebook also has a very good reason for protecting email addresses - user privacy.” Today, by joining the DataPortability Working Group Facebook is embracing open standards and open access, and that is a huge fundamental change from its previous stance on being locked in to closed standards.
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