Facebook photo transfer tool comes to the UK

First launched by the social network in Ireland last year, it allows Facebook users to move all their media directly to Google Photos in one download.

The tool supports the idea of data portability, where users have the ability to move their data between different services as they wish.

Data portability is one of the rights for citizens included in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), introduced in the EU in 2018 as part of new user digital privacy and data laws.

The new transfer tool can be found in a user's Facebook settings, alongside the existing tool which allows users to download a copy of all the information Facebook has linked to them.

Facebook said it has been developed through its work as part of an open-source, collaborative scheme known as the Data Transfer Project.

The group, which also includes Apple, Google Microsoft and Twitter, was created with the aim of developing more tools which would allow users to more easily move their data between different platforms.

"At Facebook, we believe that if you share data with one service, you should be able to move it to another," the social network said of the tool.

"That's the principle of data portability, which gives people control and choice while also encouraging innovation.

"People can access this new tool in Facebook settings within Your Facebook Information, the same place where you can download your information.

"We've kept privacy and security as top priorities, so all data transferred will be encrypted and people will be asked to enter their password before a transfer is initiated."