Coalition Seeks Code for Social Media 'Friend Data'

In the US, several social media companies have come together to launch the My Friends My Data Coalition (MFMD), which is calling for an industry-wide standard to make 'friend data' portable, through one-click privacy-safe API protocols.

According to the MFMD founding members - Dispo, Itsme, Clash App, Muze, spam app and Collage - consumers on the largest social media networks cannot export friend lists in a privacy-safe way. The group says they will work towards making friend graphs interoperable, to enable consumers to move friends' data 'easily, safely, and privately', when switching between social media sites.

Dispo founder and CEO Daniel Liss (pictured), comments: 'Large social media companies are intentionally holding our personal contact information hostage. This limits consumer choice, stymies competition, and inhibits free speech. We, the members of MFMD, are committed to giving our community members control of their friend data. We invite Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snap, Twitter, and other large social media platforms to join us'.

Web site: www.myfriendsmydata.org .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.