1652895 - Data collection review: Send Tab events

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Firefox for iOS :: Sync, task)

Comment 1

[Lina Butler (ex-Mozilla)]

Attachment: data-review-request.mdown

The implementation is happening in this GitHub PR: https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios/pull/6825

Comment 2

[Chenxia Liu [:liuche]]

Comment on attachment 9163661 [details]
data-review-request.mdown

Data-review+

# Data Review Form (to be filled by Data Stewards)

Instructions: Data Stewards will review a request for data collection and endorse responses to each question. **If the request does not provide answers to questions, reviewers give an r- and point to the questions that can’t be answered.**

1) Is there or will there be **documentation** that describes the schema for the ultimate data set in a public, complete, and accurate way?

Yes, linked to https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/toolkit/components/telemetry/data/sync-ping.html in the data review

One thing, however: could you also provide a link to these ^ docs in the iOS metrics.md file? I know that md file says

"This project may depend on other projects which also collect metrics. This means you might have to go searching through the dependency tree to get a full picture of everything collected by this project."

but it's definitely very vague. Could you explicitly add a link to the Sync Telemetry docs on firefox-source-docs in the metrics.md file in the Metrics section?

https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios/blob/main/Docs/metrics.md

2) Is there a control mechanism that allows the user to turn the data collection on and off? 

Yes, Firefox iOS as a client provides a data toggle that gives the user control over data collection

3) If the request is for permanent data collection, is there someone who will monitor the data over time?

Permanent, there are tests as part of https://github.com/mozilla/application-services/pull/3308/files

4) Using the **[category system of data types](https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Data_Collection)** on the Mozilla wiki, what collection type of data do the requested measurements fall under?

Type 2, id for tabs that are sent, so that they can be correlated between synced clients on the same Firefox account, and method of sending

5) Is the data collection request for default-on or default-off?

Default on

6) Does the instrumentation include the addition of **any *new* identifiers** (whether anonymous or otherwise; e.g., username, random IDs, etc.  See the appendix for more details)?

This adds two new ids, flow_id and stream_id, but these are internal ids, and according to the data review in bug 1639781 which added these ids, these IDs are randomly generated GUIDs and cannot identify a user or tab.

7) Is the data collection covered by the existing Firefox privacy notice? **If unsure: escalate to legal if:**

Yes - sending internal identifiers that cannot identify web browsing or client, used to link between clients

8) Does there need to be a check-in in the future to determine whether to renew the data? (Yes/No) (If yes, set a todo reminder or file a bug if appropriate)**

No, there are tests for these probes in the library, and they are being added to iOS as part of usage of the sync library

9) Does the data collection use a third-party collection tool? **If yes, escalate to legal.**

No

Comment 3

[Chenxia Liu [:liuche]]

Comment on attachment 9163661 [details]
data-review-request.mdown

Data-review+

# Data Review Form (to be filled by Data Stewards)

Instructions: Data Stewards will review a request for data collection and endorse responses to each question. **If the request does not provide answers to questions, reviewers give an r- and point to the questions that can’t be answered.**

1) Is there or will there be **documentation** that describes the schema for the ultimate data set in a public, complete, and accurate way?

Yes, linked to https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/toolkit/components/telemetry/data/sync-ping.html in the data review

One thing, however: could you also provide a link to these ^ docs in the iOS metrics.md file? I know that md file says

"This project may depend on other projects which also collect metrics. This means you might have to go searching through the dependency tree to get a full picture of everything collected by this project."

but it's definitely very vague. Could you explicitly add a link to the Sync Telemetry docs on firefox-source-docs in the metrics.md file in the Metrics section?

https://github.com/mozilla-mobile/firefox-ios/blob/main/Docs/metrics.md

2) Is there a control mechanism that allows the user to turn the data collection on and off? 

Yes, Firefox iOS as a client provides a data toggle that gives the user control over data collection

3) If the request is for permanent data collection, is there someone who will monitor the data over time?

Permanent, there are tests as part of https://github.com/mozilla/application-services/pull/3308/files

4) Using the **[category system of data types](https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/Data_Collection)** on the Mozilla wiki, what collection type of data do the requested measurements fall under?

Type 2, id for tabs that are sent, so that they can be correlated between synced clients on the same Firefox account, and method of sending

5) Is the data collection request for default-on or default-off?

Default on

6) Does the instrumentation include the addition of **any *new* identifiers** (whether anonymous or otherwise; e.g., username, random IDs, etc.  See the appendix for more details)?

This adds two new ids, flow_id and stream_id, but these are internal ids, and according to the data review in bug 1639781 which added these ids, these IDs are randomly generated GUIDs and cannot identify a user or tab.

7) Is the data collection covered by the existing Firefox privacy notice? **If unsure: escalate to legal if:**

Yes - sending internal identifiers that cannot identify web browsing or client, used to link between clients

8) Does there need to be a check-in in the future to determine whether to renew the data? (Yes/No) (If yes, set a todo reminder or file a bug if appropriate)**

No, there are tests for these probes in the library, and they are being added to iOS as part of usage of the sync library

9) Does the data collection use a third-party collection tool? **If yes, escalate to legal.**

No

Comment 4

[Lina Butler (ex-Mozilla)]

Thanks Chenxia! The PR landed, so there's nothing left to do here.