The Right to Data Portability in the GDPR: Towards User-Centric Interoperability of Digital Services

Computer Law & Security Review (2018) 193–203

12 Pages Posted: 3 Aug 2021

See all articles by Paul De Hert

Paul De Hert

Free University of Brussels (VUB)- LSTS; Tilburg University - Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT)

Vagelis Papakonstantinou

Faculty of Law and Criminology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Gianclaudio Malgieri

Universiteit Leiden, eLaw; Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) - Faculty of Law

Laurent Beslay

European Commission Joint Research Center

Ignacio Sanchez

European Commission Joint Research Center

Date Written: 2018

Abstract

The right to data portability is one of the most important novelties within the EU General Data Protection Regulation, both in terms of warranting control rights to data subjects and in terms of being found at the intersection between data protection and other fields of law (competition law, intellectual property, consumer protection, etc.). It constitutes, thus, a valuable case of development and diffusion of effective user-centric privacy enhancing technologies and a first tool to allow individuals to enjoy the immaterial wealth of their personal data in the data economy. Indeed, a free portability of personal data from one controller to another can be a strong tool for data subjects in order to foster competition of digital services and interoperability of platforms and in order to enhance controllership of individuals on their own data. However, the adopted formulation of the right to data portability in the GDPR could benefit from further clarification: several interpretations are possible, particularly with regard to the object of the right and its interrelation with other rights, potentially leading to additional challenges within its technical implementation. The aim of this article is to propose a first systematic interpretation of this new right, by suggesting a pragmatic and extensive approach, particularly taking advantage as much as possible of the interrelationshipthat this new legal provision can have with regard to the Digital Single Market and the fundamental rights of digital users. In sum, the right to data portability can be approximated under two different perspectives: the minimalist approach (the adieu scenario) and the empowering approach (the fusing scenario), which the authors consider highly preferable.

Keywords: Data, Protection

Suggested Citation

De Hert, Paul and Papakonstantinou, Vagelis and Malgieri, Gianclaudio and Beslay, Laurent and Sanchez, Ignacio, The Right to Data Portability in the GDPR: Towards User-Centric Interoperability of Digital Services (2018). Computer Law & Security Review (2018) 193–203, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3447060

Paul De Hert

Free University of Brussels (VUB)- LSTS ( email )

Pleinlaan 2
Brussels, Brabant 1050
Belgium

Tilburg University - Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society (TILT) ( email )

P.O.Box 90153
Prof. Cobbenhagenlaan 221
Tilburg, 5037
Netherlands

Vagelis Papakonstantinou (Contact Author)

Faculty of Law and Criminology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel ( email )

Pleinlaan 2
Brussels, 1050
Belgium

HOME PAGE: http://vpapakonstantinou.com

Gianclaudio Malgieri

Universiteit Leiden, eLaw ( email )

Steenschuur 25
Leiden, 2311
Netherlands

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) - Faculty of Law ( email )

Brussels
Belgium

HOME PAGE: http://www.vub.ac.be/LSTS/members/malgieri/

Laurent Beslay

European Commission Joint Research Center ( email )

Edificio Expo C
Inca Garcilaso, s/n
Seville, Seville E-41092
Spain

Ignacio Sanchez

European Commission Joint Research Center ( email )

Edificio Expo C
Inca Garcilaso, s/n
Seville, Seville E-41092
Spain

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