1303520 - Hide info icon when viewing a HTTPS site to which you haven't granted special permissions

Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX

(Firefox :: Site Identity, enhancement)

Description

[larivact]

Attachment: image to illustrate what I mean

Firefox 47 changed the design of the address bar to indicate when you have granted permissions to a site (bug 1206246).
While this is a neat feature the new icon now clutters the address bar when viewing HTTPS sites.
Since user interfaces shouldn't contain superfluous icons, the info icon should only be shown for HTTPS sites when you have granted permissions to the current site.

Comment 1

[Panos Astithas (he/him) [:past] (please ni?)]

The info icon is not redundant, it is meant to indicate that it anchors the site identity and permissions panel. "Where do I find out more about this site? Oh, there's an info icon!"

In this design the lock is an additional indication about the security of the connection and it will likely go away in the future when the majority of the internet has moved to HTTPS. Having one or the other icon be present and anchor the info panel will increase the user's cognitive load more than an additional icon will.

Comment 2

[larivact]

> "Where do I find out more about this site? Oh, there's an info icon!"
I doubt that you would be looking for the info panel if you don't already know it,
and those who know the info panel don't need the info icon to find it.

Comment 3

[Peter Dolanjski [:pdol]]

Philipp, what's your position?

Comment 4

[(Currently slow to respond) Philipp Sackl [:phlsa] (Firefox UX) please use needinfo]

The i-icon is not just about permissions. It contains site information, permissions and tracking protection for now. Saved passwords are following and there might be more in the future.

As Panos said, the lock is the contextual bit here, not the i. Chrome has now followed the same model, so that the i is becoming a de-facto standard for signifying where a user can control their relationship with a site. I agree that few users will click it just out of curiosity, but it gives things like support articles etc. a better and more consistent place to point to as well.

Comment 5

[larivact]

>As Panos said, the lock is the contextual bit here, not the i.
Yes I get how it is now, this bug was meant to change it.

>Chrome has now followed the same model
Yes Google Chrome Canary also utilizes the i-icon, but it doesn't unnecessarily show it when viewing a HTTPS site.

>it gives things like support articles etc. a better and more consistent place to point to
"To see details about a website and your connection to it click the lock icon or info icon in the top left of the address bar." Was that so hard?

I get that you guys are fond of a consistent i-icon and that you are reluctant to change it,
I guess I will just have to accept that Firefox's address bar now contains an unnecessary icon when viewing HTTPS sites. Thanks for your responses.

Comment 6

[(Currently slow to respond) Philipp Sackl [:phlsa] (Firefox UX) please use needinfo]

Ah, I didn't realize that Chrome was hiding it on HTTP sites.
Let's keep it closed for now, but I'm adding Ash here (who will be back in a few weeks and who has the most background on the design of the i and any coordination with Google about it) so she can consider your suggestion.

Comment 7

[Ash Grigas]

Google's use of the "i" icon is completely different than ours in intent so I recommend keeping ours as is.