Portabilitätsgarantien

Portabilitätsgarantien, or portability guarantees, refer to legal or contractual assurances that allow individuals or entities to transfer certain data or services from one provider to another. This concept is most commonly discussed in the context of data protection and digital services.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union is a prominent example of a legal framework establishing portability guarantees. Article 20 of the GDPR grants data subjects the right to receive personal data concerning them, which they have provided to a controller, in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. They also have the right to transmit that data to another controller without hindrance. This right is intended to empower individuals and promote competition among service providers by making it easier to switch.

Beyond personal data, portability guarantees can extend to other areas, such as telecommunications, where consumers have the right to keep their phone number when changing providers. In some jurisdictions, there are also discussions and emerging regulations around the portability of digital assets, like in-game items or digital books, though these are often more complex due to differing ownership models and platform restrictions. The underlying principle is to reduce vendor lock-in and give users more control over their digital lives and services.