DataPortability in 2009

[Elias Bizannes]

I keep seeing people post generally on the web that this is a
pointless industry issue as ordinary users don't care. I feel like I
just have to vent somewhere, so here I am stating my opinion as to the
role of the Project in 2009 when we have finalised our recommendations
and opinions. As one of the co-founders of DataPortability that had
discussions at day zero on why we are doing this, with an active
involvement in most facets of the Project to date seeing that view
evolve, I hold a very clear view of the future as I've been through it
all. People can challenge me, and I can definitely be wrong - but
that's not the point. The fact is, some of us do have a vision. It's
just how many of those visions we pursue, in the shortest possible
time frame.

I believe the role of the Project once we finalise our views is to do
a massive, globally syncronised, media campaign pressuring all the big
companies to pursue our agenda. That means adopting open standards we
support via the technical group; adopting terms of service we propose
and other things like that via the policy action group; and whatever
else we conclude on as being critical to a DataPortability world. We
will have resources for startups to adopt our recommendations easily,
and we will put pressure on the big companies to fall in line.

We've got people in this Project in multiple cities on multiple
continents and I know of a dozen people that have strong relationships
with journalists in all these regions. Pursuing a fundraising
campaign, with the support of Scoble, Arrington, Canter, and all the
other high profile industry thinkers passionate about this - can help
us achieve that goal as well as the raw effort by us to go into
fundraising mode. Firefox managed to get an ad on the NY Times - I
think we have the capability to do a lot more as we can channel anger.
Don't believe me about the anger? Look what MoveOn.Org did with
privacy and Facebook. So dramatic was that campaign that I don't see
an interview by their CEO without mentioning the word "privacy" as
Facebook constantly says the word privacy as a core element to their
strategy. We can make users realise how much they are being taken for
a ride, and channel that anger to create change. And unlike Firefox,
our community draws people beyond developer circles in tech-heavy
regions but also people passionate about data rights - a fundamental
human standard for us living in the information age.

We can push the DataPortability brand as something users identify
with, which represents a solution to problems we raise in the media
campaigns. (ie, we highlight the terms of service of companies that
don't respect peoples rights and shame them). We highlight the
negatives of the current world, and suggest a solution as represented
by the DataPortability brand which is a simplistic way for people to
conceptualise dozens of standards groups and other thinking of what we
believe as crucial for a future.

So whilst people may disagree with me on that future vision, I just
felt like I should state mine. I am sick to death of people claiming
we are being arrogant, that we have no claim to do this, and that
people in the real world couldn't care less. I say to that join in
with us because we are better posed to make a change than any other
group. With the claim that users don't care now - we will make them
care. After all, sales is all about creating demand - you wouldn't
have sales forces if customers already wanted your product.

No other group has captured the industry's attention so strongly and
so quickly. No other group is so open, transparent, and within days a
participant can become a leader if they so desire (and if you don't
get it - ping me and I will help you). No other group has people in
America, Europe, Asia, and Australia activey involved. People with
their own diverse networks, profiles, and local understanding in these
regions to truly draw on a global team.

Whilst I sympathise that the DataPortability Project threatens
recognition from the people working on things for years that we claim
to represent, I think in the long term this will pan out. The fact we
are considered just PR is wrong if you see what some of the people are
working on, but at the same time, making a big noise might be exactly
what we need to change perceptions that in turn change expectations
and therefore practices.

So join our technical action group. Join our policy action group. Work
with us so we can work it out as soon as possible, and create some
beneficial change that will improve the entire industry. It's going to
be a busy year for us, but once we've determined what we want to push,
it's going to generate a lot more noise than just a couple of posts on
techmeme.

End of rant.

[Steve Repetti]

A-W-E-S-O-M-E post!

This terrific insight is not a RANT --- though I suspect "frustration"
is derived from the recent high-profile actions/discussions of the
last couple of weeks.

I, for one (and speaking for my company too [Zude/5G], am committed to
the Data Portability initiative! This is due to the simple fact that
the initiative seeks the pursuit of solutions based on the “right
thing to do” – not distracted or obfuscated by conflicting politics or
polices policies.

Now THAT is a model the rest of the world should learn from…count us
in! Financially, spiritually, technologically -- and any way we can.