Differential D28002

[WIP]Allow disabling of data collection
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Authored by gvgeo on Mar 12 2020, 10:17 AM.

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Reviewers
apol
vkrause
Group Reviewers
Frameworks
Summary

This is a rough patch as a discussion point, and will be abandoned.

Currently startCount and usageTime is collected by default, with no way of disabling it.
These are also used to time the encouragement messages.
This patch makes possible to disable tracking, along with the encouragement messages.

This patch even if it makes possible to disable data collection, it does not fix the conflict with General Principle of KDE Software Privacy Policy. Which states that software does not collect information without explicit user action.

As a general rule, software produced by the KDE Community does not collect, transmit or otherwise transfer information from end-users devices except as a result of an explicit user action.
Test Plan

Disable global switch with D28003, data should stop updating.

Diff Detail

Repository
R849 User Feedback Collection Framework
Branch
collect (branched from master)
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Buildable 23609
Build 23627: arc lint + arc unit
gvgeo requested review of this revision.Mar 12 2020, 10:17 AM
gvgeo created this revision.
gvgeo edited the summary of this revision. (Show Details)Mar 12 2020, 10:26 AM
gvgeo edited the test plan for this revision. (Show Details)
gvgeo added a subscriber: Frameworks.Mar 12 2020, 4:53 PM

Added Frameworks for visibility. kuserfeedback is not included in the group.

davidedmundson added a subscriber: davidedmundson.Mar 12 2020, 9:19 PM

Currently data is collected by default, with no way of disabling it.

That's far from true. Things are off by default. Most providers are not run at all.
The commit message is either confused or misleading.

Some usage stuff is retained regardless, but as you note it is because it is used for the notification reminder.

Having the start count save guarded by the global killswitch isn't going to be too problematic, so personally I would be ok with it. I don't see why load needs to return early with a bool, it's overly complicating things.

I also don't see it as fixing anything real. It's local data (that kactivitymanagerd is keeping anyway...) and no different to an app storing a window size or whatever.

gvgeo edited the summary of this revision. (Show Details)Mar 13 2020, 11:39 AM
gvgeo added a comment.Mar 13 2020, 11:49 AM

Currently data is collected by default, with no way of disabling it.

That's far from true. Things are off by default. Most providers are not run at all.
The commit message is either confused or misleading.

I made an assumption, based on the data collected for gammaray. But on second check, it seems that it uses it's own implementation of kuserfeedback.
Changed the description. Confused or not, if it is wrong, it is misleading.

I don't see why load needs to return early with a bool, it's overly complicating things.

Agree. (My problem was accessing private from public.)

Some usage stuff is retained regardless, but as you note it is because it is used for the notification reminder.
I also don't see it as fixing anything real. It's local data (that kactivitymanagerd is keeping anyway...) and no different to an app storing a window size or whatever.

Local data that are used for the functionality of the program, should not used as telemetry data. Tracking for telemetry should start when the user choose.

An option "Don't remind me again" should exist. And it would be inappropriate to keep tracking if enabled, as they would serve no purpose.

Keep in mind that this patch has many faults, and only uploaded as a discussion point.
Including all other, would also like to see a separate switch for surveys, for example.

gvgeo added a comment.Mar 14 2020, 7:40 PM
In D28002#626663, @davidedmundson wrote:

Currently data is collected by default, with no way of disabling it.

That's far from true. Things are off by default. Most providers are not run at all.
The commit message is either confused or misleading.

I'm not even sure, why you said that. Now, I'm confused.

Checked gammaray's source and seems that it uses the kuserfeedback code without any change. Although is a bit outdated, I didn't find any newer commit fixing that.

But I found that kuserfeedback tracks itself. Running "UserFeedback Console" collects usage statistics about time spend in each view.

UserFeedback.org.kde.UserFeedbackConsole.conf486 BDownload

(Side note: Even if does not target users, shouldn't include "UserFeedback Console" in "Telemetry Use" page.)

gvgeo abandoned this revision.Mar 18 2020, 8:50 AM

Don't see any interest (or response), made a bug report instead.
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=418981

Revision Contents
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Diff 77485

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src/provider/core/provider.cpp

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src/provider/core/provider_p.h

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