As part of the Data Transfer Project between major tech companies, Facebook introduced last year and rolled out globally this year the ability to download your photos and videos to third party applications. Initially, your only option is to port your media content to Google Photos. Now they’re adding two more options for users: Dropbox and EU-based cloud service Koofr. This is just the first step as they confirmed they will be making more partnership announcements in the next few months.
The photo and video transfer tool has made it easier for users to download their media from the social media platform. While you could already just directly download them previously, being able to directly transfer them to a service that you already use is much more convenient. So if you back up your files on Dropbox or if you live in Europe and you’re using Koofr (whose name is apparently based on the root word for “suitcase” in some European languages), then you’ll be able to directly upload them there with the data transfer tool.
Facebook says there are only five easy steps for your data transfer. First, you go to your Facebook settings and find Your Facebook Information (which is where you can check privacy settings, review activity, etc). Choose “Transfer a Copy of Your Photos or Videos” and then enter your Facebook password to verify your account. Now, you have three options for destinations in the dropdown menu to choose from: Google Photos, Dropbox, and Koofr. You will then need to enter the password for the service you choose. After that, you’re done and you just have to wait for the notification once the transfer is complete.
To make sure you’re protected, your data will be encrypted as it’s being transferred from Facebook to the service you chose. Facebook emphasized that companies that use data portability features will be able to ensure users that their data is protected when transferring services and there should be a continuous dialogue between experts, developers, and policymakers. The Data Transfer Project is a collaborative effort among tech giants which include Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Twitter.
You can now transfer your photos and videos to Dropbox and Koofr, as well as Google Photos if you haven’t done it before. We will probably see OneDrive or iCloud next in Facebook’s list.
