Google warns once you've given yourself to Facebook, there are no take-backs

From:
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Messaging-and-Collaboration/Facebook-Google-Spar-Over-Open-Vs-Closed-Data-302345/

By: Clint Boulton
2010-11-10

Facebook, Google Spar over Open vs. Closed Data 

It sure has gotten ugly between Google and Facebook with regard to data portability, an industry catch-phrase used to describe the ability for users to import and export data from Web services such as social networks.

Breaking its code of silence regarding Google's allegations that it is a closed network, a Facebook engineer Nov. 9 lashed out at the search engine, accusing it of being open where it is convenient.

Google responded by warning users who try to pull Gmail data into Facebook that they won't be able to get it out.

This is the latest in a scrum over data that goes back three years when Facebook declined to join Google's OpenSocial effort or endorse Google Friend Connect. Here's how it started.

Google Nov. 4 changed its Contacts Data API (section 5.8) that prevents companies from letting users import Gmail data where the companies don't offer comparable import and export tools.

A Google spokesperson told eWEEK Nov. 9:

"We're disappointed that Facebook didn't invest their time in making it possible for their users to get their contacts out of Facebook. As passionate believers that people should be able to control the data they create, we will continue to allow our users to export their Google contacts."