Move My Data

You can be part of this social movement

This is a cause
Creators should be able to have ownership and management control of all of the content that they upload or create. It may be that a community content site does not want to allow creators to take back their content and data. When any site tries to block this, a goal of this project/tool is to get around that block using both technical and social means.

Ways you can support this cause
There are many ways that people and websites can support this project.

Spreading the word: Discuss it. Blog about it. Tell the websites where you have data to support it. Linking to us is also an excellent form of support.
Help design the system: Help to figure out the best standards and ideas possible. Help pick the best technology for building this system.
Programming: If you're a programmer, you can offer to help code the design and foundation for this tool. Or help add the support for the website where your data lives? This is an exciting programming challenge.
Businesses can help: There are businesses who will benefit greatly from what we are building. These businesses are welcome to support the project financially, as well as in the other ways listed. By doing so they help to bring about a change that will help their business.
Websites implementing APIs: There are websites with large existing user bases. There are other sites who are just starting out. Either way, such sites add the API support which makes it easy for users to manage and move their own content and data.

Business allies
We expect to find many allies. Our cause a just one and has a universal appeal. It can also offer businesses new opportunities.

Businesses who believe in open data: There are many websites and services who understand that allowing users to have control of their own content can also make for more commercial opportunities. We have already talked with businesses who have offered to pledge programming help and money.

Turning potential foes into allies
There will be some close minded websites and companies that will resist allowing users to move their content. Our goal is to help them see the light.

Enlightenment through participation: As more websites switch to allowing users to move their content to and from a site, this will become the higher standard. Websites will start to see that this added dynamic nature and added ability for users will result in more active users and more participation overall. As more websites start understanding and living by this philosophy, other sites will see how advantageous it is.
Enlightenment through testimony: Part of our job is to spread the word. Part of the challenge is technical, but another part of the challenge is social. The world will adopt this new and more open way of dealing with data. The more we spread the word and have open dialogue, the faster the change can happen.
Enlightenment through embarrasement: It's hard for any site to appear fair while telling their users that they can't move their own data. We need to make it clear that disallowing a user from moving their own data is no longer acceptable. This is an intriguing story. The media will enjoy it. They will help us with our push for justice. And once sites see their way to turn from foes to allies and will help spread the word that this the only acceptable way to operate.

This is being created in association with