Awareness, motivation and implementation of data portability – Enabling radical and disruptive innovation through enhanced data portability

Project description

The project “Awareness, Motivation and Implementation of Data Portability (amiDaPo)” investigated the right to data portability based on Article 20 of the 2018 EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This right allows users of online services to transfer their personal data when switching between platforms or simply exchanging information across platforms. It aims to empower users to have more control over their data, facilitate easier switching between services, and foster competition and innovation in the digital economy by reducing the concentration of data in the hands of a few large providers.

Despite its legal foundation, practical and user-friendly mechanisms for exercising the right to data portability are lacking. Awareness and demand for data portability solutions among users are also low. The project aimed to address these challenges by combining perspectives from computer science, business informatics, and psychology. It bridged the diverse requirements of stakeholders involved in implementing data portability effectively.

The psychological component of the project, led by Prof. Dr. Susanne Mayr and Dr. Robert Luzsa from the University of Passau, examined user perspectives on data portability through surveys and experimental studies. Their goal was to identify psychologically grounded user requirements, success factors, and obstacles and derive approaches for successful implementation.

Prof. Dr. Johann Kranz and Sophie Kübler-Wachendorff from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, focusing on Digital Services and Sustainability, explored data portability from the perspective of information systems. This part of the project examined individual acceptance of the right at the user level, its economic impact on social welfare, and motivational and functional design principles.

From the perspective of computer science, Prof. Jens Grossklags, Ph.D., and Emmanuel Syrmoudis from the Technical University of Munich, Chair of Cyber Trust, focused on the technical implementation of data portability by service providers. They aimed to identify opportunities and risks and develop pathways towards greater compatibility and interoperability.

The analysis differentiated three levels concerning data portability: user level, market level, and technology level. At the user level, enhancing user awareness and knowledge was identified as crucial for industry self-regulation, emphasizing the need for clearer communication of functionalities by service providers. At the market level, the project team highlighted the importance of standardization and documentation of data transferability to act as gatekeepers, suggesting tailored regulations for specific digital markets could be more effective. At the technology level, improving user-friendly implementations of data portability, clarifying procedural uncertainties, and enhancing import options were emphasized.

The project was completed by 30 June, 2023.