How will DataPortability.org keep from being hijacked by Microsoft?

Whenever Microsoft Corp. eschews an open standard (think the OpenDocument Format, aka ODF), it gets pilloried. Whenever it embraces one, as it confirmed Thursday it is now doing with DataPortability.org, fears rise that Redmond will twist it to its own advantage, (think Java) or, failing that, sabotage it. (ActiveX)

So is the nascent DataPortability.org group at such risk from Redmond? Not according to a source inside the group.

"The DataPortability group is made up of many voices - individuals who are passionate about solving the problem," the source said. "Microsoft's voice is a welcome addition but it is not the only voice in the conversation and it does not have any special consideration."

Though only really active since November, the DataPortability Workgroup boasts 60 members, mostly employees at Web 2.0 and social media firms, including Google, FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and others.

Like any techie group promoting a new open standard, DataPortability.org is trying to practice what it preaches by putting up as much information and member conversations online at a Google Group.

"The conversation is open and transparent - the general public can watch it unfold in the forums," the source said. "So anyone stalling the process will be clearly seen."

The source said Microsoft's Windows Live Contacts API - a way for Web services to download users' contact data - is "a great start. The goal of DataPortability.org is simply to define a standardized way of making the APIs talk to each other without the need to customize the connections for each application/vendor," he said. "It does not limit special relationships between vendors - they are free to do as they please."

But that freedom could also open up to the door to alliance-building between service operators that obviates the goal of DataPortability.org. For instance, Microsoft and FaceBook could choose to let users share all of their data between accounts at those services, but prevent other services from taking everything (similar to the way Facebook's official data-swapping API formerly let users' export every part of their contact database except for the e-mail addresses).

I talked with Adam Sohn, a director of Microsoft's online services business, last Friday, way before I had an inkling that Microsoft was about to sign an agreement to join DataPortability.org. He promised that at least with its Live Contacts API, Microsoft was trying to be "very much open. This won't be a continuation of the battle between instant messaging services," Sohn said.

Recent "screenscraping" incidents - think of blogger Robert Scoble's attempts to download all of his Facebook friends by using Plaxo's non-FaceBook approved Pulse service, and getting banned for his trouble - have helped DataPortability.org get on the map.

But screenscraping is unlikely to receive the group's blessing.

"I think any applications that violate the law or a user's right to privacy are just as bad as spyware or viruses," the source said. "However, these scripts are a symptom of a growing user problem and desire - to reduce their network fatigue and take control of their data."

Do you think Microsoft will play well in DataPortability.org? And any defenders of 'screenscraping' want to weigh in?