Facebook Pushes for Data Portability Legislation Ahead of FTC Hearing

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
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Facebook Pushes for Data Portability Legislation Ahead of FTC Hearing

FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
FILE PHOTO: A 3D-printed Facebook logo is seen placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Facebook Inc on Friday pushed for legislation that makes it easier for users to transfer photos and videos to a rival tech platform, in comments it sent to the Federal Trade Commission ahead of a hearing on the topic on Sept. 22.

Data portability has become a key part of the antitrust debate in the US and Europe.

In April, Facebook allowed users in the US and Canada to transfer photos and videos to Alphabet-owned Google Photos for the first time - a move that is likely to help the company respond to US regulators and lawmakers, who are investigating its competitive practices and allegations it has stifled competition.

“The FTC often issues reports following these workshops ... I think their recommendations should include dedicated portability legislation,” Bijan Madhani, privacy and public policy manager at Facebook told Reuters.

Facebook supports a portability bill already doing the rounds in Congress called the Access Act from Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal and Mark Warner, and Republican senator Josh Hawley. It would require large tech platforms to let their users easily move their data to other services.

The bill is a good first step, Madhani said. Facebook has engaged with the lawmakers on it and will continue working with them, he added.

Facebook is also seeking regulatory guidance, in the form of an independent body or regulator, in answering policy questions and helping them address liability issues tied to portability, Madhani said.

The social media platform is also pressing for more clarity on what kinds of data should be portable and who is responsible for protecting such information as it moves to different services, he noted.



UK Plans to Increase Control over Google in search

The new Google logo is seen in this illustration taken May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
The new Google logo is seen in this illustration taken May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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UK Plans to Increase Control over Google in search

The new Google logo is seen in this illustration taken May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
The new Google logo is seen in this illustration taken May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

Britain's competition regulator on Tuesday said it was proposing to designate Google with "strategic market status" to give it greater control over how the US tech giant operates search services.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said steps it could take included making it easier for users to access different search providers and ensuring fair ranking principles for businesses appearing on Google search, Reuters reported.

It also proposed more transparency and control for publishers whose content appeared in search results if it goes ahead with the designation in October.

Google will be the first company designated since the regulator gained new powers this year.

Google said the move could have significant implications for businesses and consumers in Britain.

"We're concerned that the scope of the CMA's considerations remains broad and unfocused, with a range of interventions being considered before any evidence has been provided," said Oliver Bethell, Google's senior director for competition.