European UnionI want to transfer my data from one social media platform to another. Is this my right?
Yes, under the EU's Digital Markets Act and GDPR, you have the right to data portability — meaning you can request your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and transfer it to another platform.
What the Law Says
The right to data portability is established under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and reinforced by the Digital Markets Act (DMA) for large online platforms.
Under Article 20 of the GDPR, you have the right to receive your personal data — which you provided to a controller — in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. You may also transmit that data to another controller without hindrance from the original platform.
This right applies when processing is based on consent or a contract, and when carried out by automated means. It does not extend to data inferred or derived by the platform (e.g., profiling scores), only to data you actively provided (e.g., profile info, posts, contacts).
The Digital Markets Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/1925) introduces additional obligations for 'gatekeeper' platforms (e.g., Meta, X/Twitter, TikTok). Under Article 6(1)(f) DMA, gatekeepers must ensure effective data portability, including continuous and real-time access to data via application programming interfaces (APIs).
Statutory TextThe data subject shall have the right to receive the personal data concerning him or her, which he or she has provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format...
— Regulation (EU) 2016/679, Art. 20(1) — Right to data portability
Statutory TextGatekeepers shall ensure that end users are able to effectively port their data, including through continuous and real-time access and use of data via application programming interfaces...
— Regulation (EU) 2022/1925, Art. 6(1)(f) — Data portability obligation
What to Do
Contact the platform’s data protection officer or use its privacy settings to submit a formal data portability request.
Specify the data categories you want (e.g., profile, messages, photos) and the preferred format (e.g., JSON, CSV).
The platform must respond within one month (30 days) — free of charge — unless your request is manifestly unfounded or excessive.
If denied or delayed, file a complaint with your national Data Protection Authority (e.g., CNIL in France, ICO in UK pre-Brexit, or Ireland’s DPC for many EU-based platforms).
For gatekeeper platforms, check if they offer dedicated portability tools (e.g., Meta’s ‘Transfer a Copy of Your Information’ tool).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.