Google asks to change their minds about users who want to export contacts to Facebook

The confrontation between Google and Facebook is becoming more interesting.

Let me remind you of the background: Google made changes to the Terms of Service of the Google Contacts API APIs, so now everyone who uses them must guarantee reciprocity. After that, Facebook circumvented the restrictions by creating a form that does not use the Google Contacts API, through which the user can manually export contacts to his own disk, and then upload the resulting file to Facebook.

Now take a look at what Google writes to users who want to export their contacts:

Hand over my contacts

Wait a second. Are you sure that you want to import your contact information into a service that will not allow you to return it?

You were directed to this page from a site that does not allow re-exporting data to other services, essentially closing your contact details about your friends. So if you import data, you cannot return it. We believe that you should find out before importing data. Although we absolutely disagree with this data protectionism, the choice is yours. Because, in the end, you must have control over your data.

Of course, you can always download your contacts using the export function to Google Contacts.

This message was written on behalf of your friends in Google Contacts.

[_] I want to be able to export data from Facebook. Please register a complaint on my behalf for data protectionism. (Google will not transfer your name or email address.)

[_] Proceed with exporting the data. I realize that as soon as they are imported into another service, this service may not allow me to export them back.

Yes, Google explicitly warns you that after importing contact information you will not have the opportunity to re-export it, and makes it possible to register an official complaint for protectionism with the data (it remains unclear for what purpose).

However, it still allows you to export data. Which, probably, will be done by many Facebook users before reading the warning.