Bug 418981

Summary: Violation of KDE Software Privacy Policy
Product: [Frameworks and Libraries] frameworks-kuserfeedback Reporter: gvgeo <Gvgeo>
Component: Telemetry ProviderAssignee: Volker Krause <vkrause>
Status: CLOSED NOT A BUG    
Severity: normal CC: 4wy78uwh, ahjolinna, kde, lq1prs+2rm8s1mam7fmjxo0ka2, nate, postix
Priority: NOR    
Version: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Other   
OS: Linux   
URL: https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1191806
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description gvgeo 2020-03-18 08:48:20 UTC
Usage data is collected by default, with no way of disabling it.
The final data collection is done at submission time, which includes system variables, usage data and other custom sources.
Default usage data include start count and time used, which are also used to time the encouragement messages.

The violation is in General Principle of KDE Software Privacy Policy.
Which states that software does not collect information without explicit user action.
https://kde.org/privacypolicy-apps.php
"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."

REPRODUCE
If telemetry is enabled, set telemetry to minimum(No Telemetry).
Open any program that makes use of telemetry. Most are mentioned in https://community.kde.org/Telemetry_Use
See that time usage will update on close, and count on open. (UserFeedback.org.kde.* conf in ~/.config/kde.org/)

REPRODUCE method 2
Use steps above, but instead open "UserFeedback Console". Which collects data in ~/.config/KDE/ folder.
It is the only kde program, I'm aware, collecting custom usage data. It makes use of time spend in each of the 3 views.

version tested: latest master build with kuserfeedback commit 140c8ce 14-02-2020
Comment 1 Kai Uwe Broulik 2020-03-18 08:51:46 UTC
This is no different from storing window sizes, recent documents, etc.
Comment 2 gvgeo 2020-03-18 10:01:24 UTC
(In reply to Kai Uwe Broulik from comment #1)
> This is no different from storing window sizes, recent documents, etc.

I really hope that is different. I really do hope that this info is not uploaded to kde.
Comment 3 gvgeo 2020-03-26 17:23:53 UTC
With the close reason been fundamentally wrong, equalizing telemetry data with configuration properties, and no response, I don't see any reason for this bug to stay closed.
Moreover, the given reasoning is not making any sense, as it does not address this bug or the problems created from it;
1. The bug describes exact steps which show, software collecting data that are not needed to function. In contrast to essential properties.
2. Data that are collected while telemetry is 'disabled', are retained and used as telemetry data, if and when user chooses to enable the corresponding telemetry level. The same occurs if a user chooses to stop telemetry for a while; data usage will continue to collected, and will be included when the user raise back telemetry level.

Neither of these 2 issues were addressed. They break privacy policy and user expectations, with the potential to hurt kde image(especially the way you are handling it), and the second can create inaccurate data.
Comment 4 Nate Graham 2020-04-15 04:36:06 UTC
I'm having a hard time understanding the issue here. You're concerned that while the telemetry system is on, data is still stored locally--even though it's not sent anywhere unless the user opts into that?
Comment 5 Bug Janitor Service 2020-04-30 04:33:15 UTC
Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
15 days. Please provide the requested information as soon as
possible and set the bug status as REPORTED. Due to regular bug
tracker maintenance, if the bug is still in NEEDSINFO status with
no change in 30 days the bug will be closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

If you have already provided the requested information, please
mark the bug as REPORTED so that the KDE team knows that the bug is
ready to be confirmed.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 6 Bug Janitor Service 2020-05-15 04:33:17 UTC
This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least
30 days. The bug is now closed as RESOLVED > WORKSFORME
due to lack of needed information.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures please read the
wiki located here:
https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 7 gvgeo 2020-05-29 17:14:47 UTC
There is no on or off, feedback always collects data locally. The issue is that privacy policy says that software does not do that.
Comment 8 Nate Graham 2020-05-29 17:24:40 UTC
It's essentially impossible to not collect at least *some* information locally or else key features of the system break. For example a window's last size is technically locally collected information for the purpose of remembering your preferred window sizes, yet this has been done for years, even decades. Same with recently-opened files, recently-opened apps, and so on. Nobody has ever complained about this. Perhaps we should amend the policy to reflect this (entirely benign) reality.
Comment 9 Volker Krause 2020-05-29 17:31:59 UTC
The policy is meant to be about data shared with KDE, ie. data actually sent to the telemetry server, not about what applications do locally. If that is unclear anywhere in the wording we can certainly improve/clarify that.
Comment 10 Christoph Feck 2020-05-29 18:27:39 UTC
You would be surprised to learn the amount of information that is collected in /var/log, including information which user started which application at what point in time. And no, not by KDE software, but by the Linux base system.
Comment 11 gvgeo 2020-05-29 18:58:48 UTC
As it is, the word "collects" is confusing, as the software collects data locally.
"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."
https://kde.org/privacypolicy-apps.php

This would also solve typically the issue of uploading previously collected data. Yet I feel it is wrong without clearing the data or something, when the user selects the corresponding telemetry.

And please don't compare local data with telemetry data, that is not right.
Comment 12 Someone Concerned 2020-08-07 14:12:43 UTC
"The policy is meant to be about data shared with KDE, ie. data actually sent to the telemetry server, not about what applications do locally. If that is unclear anywhere in the wording we can certainly improve/clarify that."

You can improve the config files instead by counting down instead of up and naming the fields appropriately:

    ApplicationTimeUntilEncouragement=...
    ApplicationStartCountUntilEncouragement=...

When either of the fields reaches zero, display the encouragement and replace both fields with:

    EncouragementShown=true

Or even better yet, don't use timed encouragements and simply display them at first start (like Firefox and Atom do).
Comment 13 Alexander Ahjolinna 2021-08-29 20:35:52 UTC
what is the current status? as kuserfeedback has been disabled at least on openSUSE for past 7 months now (don't know about other distros) 
https://build.opensuse.org/request/show/872116
https://build.opensuse.org/package/view_file/KDE:Unstable:Frameworks/plasma5-workspace/plasma5-workspace.spec?expand=1
Comment 14 Nate Graham 2023-02-21 19:43:53 UTC
Not a bug; saving local data that isn't sent anywhere isn't telemetry, it's how your system remembers state and settings.
Comment 15 gvgeo 2023-03-05 13:55:03 UTC
New bug report, because this was locked without addressing the problem.
https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=466888