YouTube

When Mozilla receives information from you, our Mozilla Privacy Policy describes how we handle that information. Below are the top things you should know about RegretsReporter. You can also view the code here, which includes detailed technical information on what data is collected.

Key Things to Know

  • You must be 18 or older to use RegretsReporter.
  • No data is collected from inside Private Browsing windows.
  • At installation, we will ask you to participate in a randomized experiment. If you choose to participate, your experience of using the RegretsReporter extension will vary depending on which branch of the experiment you are in. The experiment will vary the type of feedback that is sent to YouTube on your behalf when you interact with Regret Reporter’s “stop recommending” button —for example, when you click on the button, no feedback will may be sent at all, or the extension may communicate to YouTube that you “disliked” a video. Your ability to use YouTube’s feedback buttons will not be altered by the extension. We ask you to participate in this experiment as it is necessary to collect the data needed to produce high quality research on YouTube’s user control mechanisms. Your support will help us build compelling advocacy campaigns that can shift public policy and public opinion and push YouTube to provide greater transparency. Read more about the experiment here.

Information We Collect

Mozilla receives the following information:

  • YouTube recommendation information: Mozilla receives information about the total number of YoutTube videos watched.
    • Mozilla receives the following information each time you are recommended a video:
      • Video metadata (The video ID, title, description, posting date, view count at navigation)
      • Timestamp
    • Mozilla receives the following information if you specifically submit feedback through the YoutTube Regret’s “stop recommending” button
      • Page entry point (autoplay, right-panel, search-result, explore-page)
      • User-specified optional comment
      • Timestamp
  • Your email address: When you install the extension, if you choose to complete the optional survey, you have the choice to provide us with an optional email address. We will only use your email address to reach out about followup interview opportunities by Mozilla researchers about this project.
  • Technical data: Mozilla receives basic information from the extension and the devices it's installed on, including information such as operating system, browser, language preference, country, and timestamps. When RegretsReporter sends data to us, your IP address is temporarily collected as part of our server logs and is deleted within 90 days.
  • Interaction data: Mozilla receives data about your interactions with YouTube, including when a YouTube video is viewed; the total number of videos watched while the extension is installed; when you click on YouTube’s “dislike”, “don’t recommend this channel”, or “not interested” button; and when you click on Regret Reporter’s “stop recommending” button.
  • Information about add-on errors: Mozilla receives information about reasons for errors, UI interactions preceding errors, and stacktraces. The host and pathname of some YouTube URLs may be included. To opt-out of automated error reporting in Firefox: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Manage Extension”, select the Preferences pane and uncheck “Allow RegretsReporter to send information about encountered errors to Mozilla." In Chrome: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Options” and uncheck “Allow RegretsReporter to send information about encountered errors to Mozilla.”
  • Survey responses: If you choose to participate in the optional survey, Mozilla receives your written responses to a set of questions about how you interact with YouTube. Your responses will be used to inform Mozilla's research into YouTube's recommendation algorithm. Mozilla may publish quotes or anecdotes you share, with identifying information removed.

Information We Disclose

Data—including the videos you report and the comments you submit—from the RegretsReporter extension will be used in Mozilla Foundation's advocacy and campaigning work. It will be shared with organizations working to investigate these problems and technologists working to build more trustworthy AI. When we disclose information, we disclose it in a way that minimizes the risk of you being re-identified.

RegretsReporter also shares information with third parties to provide the service to you. Mozilla has contracted with these companies requiring them to protect your information. Here’s who we use to support RegretsReporters:

  • Google Cloud Platform: We use Google Cloud Platform (GCP) as our cloud computing service. GCP receives your computer’s IP address, the YouTube usage statistics, and Regret Reports.
  • TypeForm: We use TypeForm to administer and track our survey responses, if you choose to complete them.

Data Privacy Questions?

While the extension is installed, it is possible to send a data deletion request. In Firefox: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Manage Extension”, select the Preferences pane and click “Send Data Deletion Request." In Chrome: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Options” and click “Send Data Deletion Request." This will send an automated message to us that triggers the deletion of previously collected data. To access the collected data, click the “Inspect Collected Data” button in the same preferences pane.

If you have any other questions regarding our privacy practices, please contact us at [email protected].

When Mozilla receives information from you, our Mozilla Privacy Policy describes how we handle that information. Below are the top things you should know about RegretsReporter. You can also view the code here, which includes detailed technical information on what data is collected.

Key Things to Know

  • You must be 18 or older to use RegretsReporter.
  • No data is collected from inside Private Browsing windows.
  • At installation, we will ask you to participate in a randomized experiment. If you choose to participate, your experience of using the RegretsReporter extension will vary depending on which branch of the experiment you are in. The experiment will vary the type of feedback that is sent to YouTube on your behalf when you interact with Regret Reporter’s “stop recommending” button —for example, when you click on the button, no feedback will may be sent at all, or the extension may communicate to YouTube that you “disliked” a video. Your ability to use YouTube’s feedback buttons will not be altered by the extension. We ask you to participate in this experiment as it is necessary to collect the data needed to produce high quality research on YouTube’s user control mechanisms. Your support will help us build compelling advocacy campaigns that can shift public policy and public opinion and push YouTube to provide greater transparency. Read more about the experiment here.

Information We Collect

Mozilla receives the following information:

  • YouTube recommendation information: Mozilla receives information about the total number of YoutTube videos watched.
    • Mozilla receives the following information each time you are recommended a video:
      • Video metadata (The video ID, title, description, posting date, view count at navigation)
      • Timestamp
    • Mozilla receives the following information if you specifically submit feedback through the YoutTube Regret’s “stop recommending” button
      • Page entry point (autoplay, right-panel, search-result, explore-page)
      • User-specified optional comment
      • Timestamp
  • Your email address: When you install the extension, if you choose to complete the optional survey, you have the choice to provide us with an optional email address. We will only use your email address to reach out about followup interview opportunities by Mozilla researchers about this project.
  • Technical data: Mozilla receives basic information from the extension and the devices it's installed on, including information such as operating system, browser, language preference, country, and timestamps. When RegretsReporter sends data to us, your IP address is temporarily collected as part of our server logs and is deleted within 90 days.
  • Interaction data: Mozilla receives data about your interactions with YouTube, including when a YouTube video is viewed; the total number of videos watched while the extension is installed; when you click on YouTube’s “dislike”, “don’t recommend this channel”, or “not interested” button; and when you click on Regret Reporter’s “stop recommending” button.
  • Information about add-on errors: Mozilla receives information about reasons for errors, UI interactions preceding errors, and stacktraces. The host and pathname of some YouTube URLs may be included. To opt-out of automated error reporting in Firefox: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Manage Extension”, select the Preferences pane and uncheck “Allow RegretsReporter to send information about encountered errors to Mozilla." In Chrome: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Options” and uncheck “Allow RegretsReporter to send information about encountered errors to Mozilla.”
  • Survey responses: If you choose to participate in the optional survey, Mozilla receives your written responses to a set of questions about how you interact with YouTube. Your responses will be used to inform Mozilla's research into YouTube's recommendation algorithm. Mozilla may publish quotes or anecdotes you share, with identifying information removed.

Information We Disclose

Data—including the videos you report and the comments you submit—from the RegretsReporter extension will be used in Mozilla Foundation's advocacy and campaigning work. It will be shared with organizations working to investigate these problems and technologists working to build more trustworthy AI. When we disclose information, we disclose it in a way that minimizes the risk of you being re-identified.

RegretsReporter also shares information with third parties to provide the service to you. Mozilla has contracted with these companies requiring them to protect your information. Here’s who we use to support RegretsReporters:

  • Google Cloud Platform: We use Google Cloud Platform (GCP) as our cloud computing service. GCP receives your computer’s IP address, the YouTube usage statistics, and Regret Reports.
  • TypeForm: We use TypeForm to administer and track our survey responses, if you choose to complete them.

Data Privacy Questions?

While the extension is installed, it is possible to send a data deletion request. In Firefox: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Manage Extension”, select the Preferences pane and click “Send Data Deletion Request." In Chrome: right-click the RegretsReporter toolbar icon, choose “Options” and click “Send Data Deletion Request." This will send an automated message to us that triggers the deletion of previously collected data. To access the collected data, click the “Inspect Collected Data” button in the same preferences pane.

If you have any other questions regarding our privacy practices, please contact us at [email protected].