Add option disable page/tab opening when auto-updated

[whorfin]

Apologies if this is a dupe, I spent some time searching and could not find an existing FR, nor could I find a way to disable this page spamming.

In all other regards I love this extension, thank you for your work.

However...

Problem: I'm working away in my web browser [chrome or firefox], perhaps typing something into a form, and suddenly I'm interacting with a DTA page shoved in my face telling me about an update.
I don't ever want anything opening web pages without my direct request - I find it intrusive and annoying

Solution: provide a configuration option to "Disable update page auto-opening"

Alternative: be a good citizen like many other extensions, which instead of force-opening a page on their users, instead change their plugin icon with a badge or other affordance to indicate an update has occurred or is available, and providing the choice to go read more.

[nmaier]

Maybe I will do a preference in the future.

However I do like the changelog because

1. I like users to be informed when updates are "pushed" upon them. I have no control over the browser extension distribution model of "silent" auto-updates there. The least I can do, from my perspective is to inform users that an update happened.
2. In the same vein, I want users to see what was updated. This especially has implications on things that I might have broken.

I consider that to be a "good citizen", but we may agree to disagree on that one.

I also do take a bit of an issue with the "spamming" characterization, to be honest. Recently I released about an update per month, before that it usually was even more infrequent. And we're talking about one singular tab that is opened.

And lastly, it also provides an opportunity to remind people they can donate to the project (effectively me). Maybe you think this is greedy of me (some people do), maybe you do not, but the matter of the fact is that I spent more work and time on free and/or open software than the donations cover. It's not even close.

[maidik]

I'm here for this issue because DTA just popped a changelog tab as I was typing answers into a timed chemistry quiz.

I get where you're coming from, but...that was quite the heartattack maker.

[matirion]

It's spam, even if it isn't often. It's a popup that interrupts whatever you are doing that is sent to everyone in bulk.
People may be doing things they do not want interrupted, and it is considered bad practice to force this kind of junk on people, many of which do not care about it and won't read it. The definition of spam is an unsolicited communication in bulk, which is exactly what this is.

You are sending out mass notifications and ignoring consent, which can actually be a legal issue under GDPR as it requires consent before including anyone on a digital mass messaging system. It doesn't matter why you are sending them out, or what means you are using, you need consent before sending them to any user in territories covered by GDPR. This is because, in order to send out a notification, at least some data about a user has to be processed, even if it's as minimal as whether or not the browser is running, and this requires explicit consent.

As this falls under marketing, with it being an announcement related to your product, it falls under the rules regarding marketing, and I hereby, unambiguously, retract any such consent that may have been granted before, and request that you no longer notify me of updates. Next one I receive, I will file a formal complaint.

[matirion]

@d7415
Not my fault if you don't know EU laws. If this isn't fixed and the notifications keep getting pushed out, I will file a formal charge against the project and all contributors.
Under the GDPR, you MUST acquire consent before sending out spam messages, and consent can be withdrawn. If either consent is not sought, or consent is withdrawn and the notifications continue, that's a violation, which can result in sanctions. I have withdrawn the consent, and it is up to you to fix it so it complies with the legal requirements, or have charges filed against you.
Please start trying to follow the law, it's not hard.

[matirion]

@d7415 I did provide a reference, the GDPR. That's what it's called. Not my job to make sure you comply with it, and if you don't bother to look at what laws apply, it's on you if you end up being fined. The GDPR is literally a single law.

It isn't hard to look it up, because you have been provided with the law in question already. Don't blame it on me if you can't understand what it means. Article 21 of the GDPR, right to object. I have provided my notice of objection.

Under article 3, it applies to you, as you provide a product to citizens of Europe, which processes data, albeit in limited scope. It is an extremely broad law, as a result of which many people protested. Unless you were living under a rock, you would know this. Thanks to the broad scope of the GDPR, things such as push notifications on mobile or in a browser, which operate by checking if the phone is on and other conditions are met and then sending a notification through the OS/browser, fall under the GDPR and requires consent. The add-on similarly checks if the browser is running and if other conditions are met (such as having updated the add-on), and then sends out a notification through the browser to inform them of the new features and changes, which is a form of marketing. This requires explicit consent, as it is effectively the same as a push notification, just through a web page, instead of an push notification. The GDPR also applies to email lists, phone marketing, and just about every method of sending out information, except for when there is an emergency. It doesn't matter how trivial it is, because there is no lower limit.

I don't have to inform you of anything beyond my objection to what you are doing.

Also, I seriously have doubts about your ability to work on this, considering you can't even use google after being told what the relevant law is. I don't care if it is inconvenient to you, I don't care if you are too lazy to look it up, and frankly I don't care if it results in fines and the project is shut down. You had already been given all the information you needed, you just chose to pretend that you are blind and your colleague has made it abundantly clear that you intended to ignore user consent. Your choices are to make it compliant with the GDPR, or stop offering it to people in the EU or EEA, otherwise you will be subject to the law. This is why many services stopped allowing EU residents to access them.

If I believe you do not comply, and don't work to become compliant, I will simply step to the regulatory authorities and submit a formal complaint of non compliance against the project and push for them to fine you under the GDPR (which, again, is the relevant law).

[Baerbeisser]

However I do like the changelog

Well, others don't. Opening a tab while you type something is spam-behavior to some (me included).
Please make it configurable, maybe default to on.
Or make it a notification, that doesn't disrupt browser usage.
I don't see the issue here, effort to implement should be minimal.