https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/show_bug.cgi?id=173241
Bug ID: 173241
Summary: Offer explicit opt-out of update checks
Product: LibreOffice
Version: 25.8.0.0 alpha0+
Hardware: All
OS: All
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Severity: normal
Priority: medium
Component: LibreOffice
Assignee: [email protected]
Reporter: [email protected]
Consider the following principles which guide our project:
* Maintain user privacy by avoiding the divulgence any information about the
user which they did not express specific intent to divulge.
* Do not act behind the user's back.
* Protect user from known security vulnerabilities in LibreOffice as they are
discovered.
* Make it easy for the user to enjoy the latest improvements to LibreOffice.
The first and second pairs principles come into friction when it comes to our
automatic updates: An update is a quite a significant action, and yet - we
apply updates automatically, without the user having asked for them
specifically. The update check also notifies both us and whoever may be
monitoring the user's machine's outgoing communications, that the user has
LibreOffice installed and that it is auto-updating. But - we have legitimately
deemed this to be worthwhile to better realize the latter principles.
We should, however, do better regarding the second of four principles, which is
not doing things behind the user's back; and also - make the user more
cognizant of the trade-off we have chosen, so that they may make a different
choice.
This can be achieved by explicitly presenting to the user the fact that
LibreOffice will be making routine update checks, and applying updates,
automatically - and offering the user to opt out of this.
There are (at least) four points at which this can be presented to the user:
1. During (or at the end of) installation, and
2. On first startup.
3. Right before an update occurs
4. Right after an update has occurred
We are currently not presenting this to the user at points (2.), (3.) and (4.)
; and (1.) may depend on the kind of installer (e.g. via Nuget/Chocolatey you
definitely are offered no settings).
I propose we offer the chance to opt-out at more points. I'm not sure exactly
which would be appropriate - especially considering the fact that the person
installing LibreOffice may not be the same person using it (e.g. multiple users
on the machine, multiple people using the same user account, a professional
performing installations for a user before handing off a configured PC to them
etc.)
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