At the Le Web conference in Paris, MySpace announced that it will offer support for Google’s Friend Connect service. This was an expected move, as data portability seems to be the trend on the web right now, with both Google and Facebook releasing web services that will make it easier for users to transfer their activity and information on the web.

Along with the Google Friend Connect support, MySpace also launched its Open Platform, which comprises a collection of tools, like Post To MySpace and MySpaceID. The MySpaceID is a log-in feature which uses MySpace account information to automatically log users in to websites that have MySpaceID support. Members can also find out whether their friends use those websites, too.

The service will soon provide support for tracking and importing user activity from external websites to their MySpace profiles. Furthermore, a fresh version of Post To MySpace will let users embed photos and videos from RockYou and Slide on their profile page.

The idea isn’t exactly new, as MySpace formerly had had a similar platform, called Data Availability Initiative. Although, the website is now making big hype on these data portability services, as their product manager, Max Engels states that they are very excited of the possibilities this platform offers. He also insisted that “it’s not just a new name or a new coat of paint. It's new code and new functionality.”

It remains to be seen whether users will embrace this “portability” idea. There are already voices that claim that behind those fancy features there could be privacy infringements, too. Addressing these concerns, Engels said that the platform is “user-centric” and it “emphasizes privacy for the user.” Also, he stressed that it is the end user who chooses whether or not to use the new platform.