Implementing 'Continuous and Realtime' Data Portability with Webhooks

Requirements for “continuous and realtime” data portability hold the potential to transform data portability from a weak, seldom-used right into a powerful tool for competition and user agency by making it easier to build useful services on top of ported data. Ironing out a workable vision for what “continuous and realtime” means in practice is key to realizing that potential. This brief aims to do just that, outlining a model for continuous and realtime data portability that is simple and flexible. It’s based on a well-known approach to data transfers called “webhooks.” Webhooks can be applied across domains efficiently, offering a general-purpose solution to continuous and realtime data portability.<br><br>Although webhooks are not necessarily the only way to implement continuous and realtime data portability, they are a promising approach that demonstrates the feasibility of continuous and realtime data portability in practice. And while there are challenges to successfully implementing webhooks at scale, they can be overcome with quality software development practices and technical standardization.