Data Portability
Definition
A consumer's right to receive their personal data from a business in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format so it can be transferred to another service provider. This prevents vendor lock-in and gives consumers control over their data.
Legal Definition
Under the CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code 1798.100(d)): businesses must provide personal information "in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format." Under the VCDPA (Va. Code 59.1-577): consumers have the right "to obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that the consumer previously provided to the controller in a portable and, to the extent technically feasible, readily usable format."
State Laws Using This Term
Practical Example
A user wants to switch from one cloud storage provider to another. They request a copy of all their uploaded files and account data in a standard format (like JSON or CSV) so they can import it into the new service.
Related Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
What format must the data be provided in?
Most laws require a "structured, commonly used, machine-readable format." In practice, this usually means JSON, CSV, or XML. The format should allow the consumer to transmit the data to another controller without hindrance.