Google's Larry Page Calls for Data Portability in Social Networks

Tweet

Google recently had their earnings call, in which executives discussed the business with investors and the media. Among the comments that CEO Larry Page made was on how Google+ espouses data portability.

Larry Page expressed excitement with Google+, particularly with how the service supposedly improves the social experience and makes it “more like how you would share in real life.” While other social networks also let users share with their friends online, though, Google has a policy of letting users own their own data. If you don’t like the service, you can leave, and you can take your information with you. Google’s competitors don’t share the same ideals, and Page seems to be taking a stab at Facebook, in particular (although there was no direct mention).

Google as a company believes in users owning their own data and being able to easily move it out of Google. Some of our competitors don’t believe in that. We think users will eventually move to services that are in their best interests and that work really well for them.

Facebook has had wordings in their usage policy that says something to the effect that while your data is with them (which includes pictures, posts, contacts and other information), they can use these for their own purposes. Facebook and Google have also been at odds when it comes to data portability. Google believes you can take your data with you wherever, but Facebook won’t even let you export contacts, photos and other information in case you want to switch to another service provider. This functionality is on-again, off-again, and with Google+ rising in popularity, Facebook has blocked apps, extensions and APIs that let users easily move data from Facebook to another social network.

Will data portability — and better control of your information — be Google’s main advantage over other social networking services? Will people switch over to Google+ en masse, or will Facebook and other services at least follow suit with data portability?