Facebook has rolled out a photo transfer tool, which will help users transfer their photos and videos uploaded to the social network to other services, starting with Google Photos.
Facebook’s photo transfer tool is currently being piloted in Ireland and will be released to users in other countries in the first half of 2020.
To access the photo transfer tool, users will need to head to Facebook Settings and look within Your Facebook Information — the same place you’d find the option to download your information.
The data transferred via the photo tool will be encrypted and users will need to enter their password to begin the process, as Facebook’s announcement says that they’ve “kept privacy and security as top priorities”.
The tool is currently being tested, so it’ll be continued to be updated based on the feedback gathered from users during the pilot programme as well as other stakeholders.
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This photo transfer tool by Facebook is based on a code that was developed through the company’s participation in the open-source Data Transfer Project, which was launched in 2018 and in addition to Facebook, includes companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft and Twitter.
Data Transfer Project aims to enable users to port their data from one online platform to the other. This is being done through collaboration among online organisations via an open-source framework, which can connect the two service providers using existing APIs and authorisation mechanisms.
“We’ve learned from our conversations with policymakers, regulators, academics, advocates and others that real-world use cases and tools will help drive policy discussions forward. That’s why we’re developing new products that take into account the feedback we’ve received and will help drive data portability policies forward by giving people and experts a tool to assess,” explains Steve Satterfield, Director of Privacy and Public Policy at Facebook, in a post.
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