[Bug]: cannot set `telemetry.telemetryLevel` to "off" in `settings.json`.

[MacWeber]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues

OS/Web Information

• Web Browser: any
• Local OS: Linux
• Remote OS: Linux
• Remote Architecture: x64
• code-server --version: 4.8.3 977b853 with Code 1.72.1

Steps to Reproduce

1. Set up a DNS server and log incoming queries
2. Set Code Server to use this DNS server
3. Add the option "telemetry.telemetryLevel": "off" to ~/.local/share/code-server/User/settings.json.
4. Reboot the server
5. Open Code Server in a browser
6. Watch the DNS server logs

Expected

No HTTP requests to any telemetry.

Actual

At least one request to v1.telemetry.coder.com happens during the server startup process and every hour afterwards. It seems the first telemetry request happens after Code Server is opened in a browser, and I am not sure if it is triggered if the app is not opened in a browser.

Logs

No response

Screenshot/Video

No response

Does this issue happen in VS Code or GitHub Codespaces?

• I cannot reproduce this in VS Code.
• I cannot reproduce this in GitHub Codespaces.

Are you accessing code-server over HTTPS?

• I am using HTTPS.

Notes

The issue does not happen if launching code-server with the option --disable-telemetry.

Maybe this is a related issue: #5306

[jsjoeio]

Does this still happen if you pass --disable-telemetry to code-server when you launch it?

[MacWeber]

@jsjoeio I did some tests, and I do not observe this behavior when I manually run code-server --disable-telemetry.
One additional piece of information: the telemetry is triggered when the user opens Code Server in the browser after the reboot. I am not sure if it is triggered automatically if the app is not opened.

[jsjoeio]

Hmm...I feel like the only way to disable is using the CLI flag.

One additional piece of information: the telemetry is triggered when the user opens Code Server in the browser after the reboot. I am not sure if it is triggered automatically if the app is not opened.

Is this with or without the CLI flag?

[MacWeber]

Hmm...I feel like the only way to disable is using the CLI flag.

According to the documentation it could be set to a different telemetry level, or even disabled via the settings file. There is also a GUI option that automatically adds this option to the settings file. These methods are not working.
Ref.: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/telemetry#_disable-telemetry-reporting

Is this with or without the CLI flag?

One additional piece of information: the telemetry is triggered when the user opens Code Server in the browser after the reboot. I am not sure if it is triggered automatically if the app is not opened.

The only way that is currently disabling the telemetry is the CLI flag. Using settings.json will trigger the HTTP request to the telemetry server when the user opens Code Server in their browser after a restart.