Manage Technical and Interaction Data Collection Settings in Oasis

Adam Kershner
Adam KershnerCTO
5 min read

Oasis browser, built on Firefox technology, collects technical and interaction data and sends it to Mozilla to understand how you use the browser and to make it better. This data helps Mozilla fix bugs, improve performance, and add features that people love. Understanding these settings helps you maintain control over your privacy while contributing to browser improvement.

What is Technical and Interaction Data?

Technical and interaction data, also called telemetry data, is information about how Firefox functions on your device and how you use its features. This includes performance details like page load times and memory usage, as well as insights into which Firefox features you interact with, such as bookmarks, tabs or settings.

Technical Data Collected

Performance and system information:

  • Page Load Times: How quickly websites load
  • Memory Usage: Browser memory consumption patterns
  • Performance Metrics: Browser responsiveness and speed
  • System Resources: CPU and memory utilization
  • Hardware Specifications: Device capabilities and limitations

Interaction Data Collected

How you use browser features:

  • Feature Usage: Which Firefox features you use most
  • Bookmark Patterns: How you organize bookmarks
  • Tab Management: Your tab usage habits
  • Settings Preferences: Customizations you've made
  • Extension Usage: Which add-ons you use

Device Information

System and platform details:

  • Operating System: Windows, macOS, Linux version
  • Browser Version: Exact Firefox/Oasis version
  • Hardware Specs: Processor, RAM, graphics capabilities
  • Platform Details: Architecture and system configuration

What is NOT Collected

Data that is never included:

  • Browsing History: No record of websites you visit
  • Search Queries: No information about what you search for
  • Saved Passwords: No access to your login credentials
  • Personal Content: No files, documents, or personal data

How Does Mozilla Use This Data?

Bug Fixing and Problem Resolution

Primary purpose of technical data:

  • Identify Bugs: Spot performance issues and crashes
  • Performance Optimization: Improve page load times and responsiveness
  • Memory Management: Better resource allocation and usage
  • Platform Optimization: Enhance performance on specific systems

Feature Development and Improvement

How interaction data guides development:

  • Popular Features: See which features are most used
  • User Experience: Understand how people interact with Firefox
  • Feature Priorities: Focus development on what users value
  • Interface Design: Improve usability and accessibility

Trend Analysis and Privacy Protection

Understanding usage patterns safely:

  • Usage Trends: Learn how people use Firefox
  • Privacy Respect: No individual user tracking
  • Aggregated Insights: Data combined across many users
  • Development Guidance: Inform product decisions

How to Turn Off Technical and Interaction Data Collection

If you prefer, you can easily turn off this data collection in Firefox. Turning this off does not disable or prevent the DAU (daily active users) ping. To learn more about daily usage data collection and how to opt out, see Manage daily usage ping data collection settings in Firefox.

On Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)

To disable technical and interaction data collection on desktop:

  1. Open Oasis, and click the menu button ≡ in the top-right corner
  2. Select Settings
  3. Go to the Privacy & Security panel
  4. Scroll down to Firefox Data Collection and Use
  5. Uncheck the box next to Allow Firefox to send technical and interaction data to Mozilla

Note: In Oasis, the exact menu structure may vary slightly, but the setting should be located in the Privacy & Security section under Firefox Data Collection and Use.

On Android

To disable technical and interaction data collection on Android:

  1. Open Oasis, and tap the menu button ⋮ in the top-right corner
  2. Select Settings
  3. Tap Privacy and Security, then tap Data collection
  4. Toggle off Send technical and interaction data

On iOS

To disable technical and interaction data collection on iOS:

  1. Open Oasis, and tap the menu button ≡ at the bottom of the screen
  2. Select Settings
  3. Scroll down to the Support section
  4. Toggle off Send Technical and Interaction Data

What Happens When You Disable This Option?

Immediate Effects

When you disable technical and interaction data collection:

  • No More Data Collection: Firefox/Oasis stops sending telemetry data
  • Privacy Enhancement: Mozilla no longer receives performance and usage data
  • Data Deletion Request: Previously collected data marked for deletion
  • No Performance Impact: Disabling won't affect browser performance

Data Deletion Process

What happens to existing data:

  • 30-Day Timeline: Data deleted within 30 days of opt-out
  • Complete Removal: All previously collected data is permanently deleted
  • No Recovery: Deleted data cannot be restored
  • Privacy Protection: Ensures your data is completely removed

What's Not Affected

Other features that continue to work:

  • Daily Usage Ping: DAU data collection continues (separate setting)
  • Crash Reports: Crash reporting continues (separate setting)
  • Browser Functionality: All Firefox features work normally
  • Updates and Security: Browser updates continue as usual

Understanding Data Collection Categories

Technical and Interaction Data

What this specific setting controls:

  • Performance Metrics: Page load times, memory usage
  • Feature Usage: How you use browser features
  • System Information: Hardware and platform details
  • Interaction Patterns: Your browsing behavior patterns

Other Data Collection

Separate settings you can also control:

  • Daily Usage Ping: Count daily active users
  • Crash Reports: Send crash data to help fix bugs
  • Studies: Participate in browser experiments
  • Firefox Health Report: Detailed performance analysis

Benefits of Enabling Technical and Interaction Data

Browser Improvement

How your data helps make Firefox better:

  • Bug Detection: Identify and fix performance issues faster
  • Performance Optimization: Improve page loading and responsiveness
  • Feature Development: Build features users actually want
  • Platform Optimization: Better performance on your specific system

User Experience Enhancement

Direct benefits to your browsing:

  • Faster Performance: Optimized based on real usage patterns
  • Better Features: Features designed around user needs
  • Stability Improvements: Fewer crashes and bugs
  • Customization Options: Settings that match user preferences

Community Contribution

How you help the Firefox ecosystem:

  • Open Source Support: Help improve open source software
  • User Advocacy: Your usage patterns inform development
  • Quality Assurance: Help identify issues affecting many users
  • Innovation Support: Enable new features and improvements

Privacy and Data Protection

Data Minimization

Mozilla's approach to telemetry data:

  • Purpose Limitation: Data used only for browser improvement
  • Anonymous Collection: No personally identifiable information
  • Aggregated Analysis: Data combined across many users
  • Secure Transmission: Encrypted when sent to Mozilla

User Control and Transparency

How you maintain privacy:

  • Opt-in Choice: You decide whether to participate
  • Clear Information: Transparent about what data is collected
  • Easy Opt-out: Simple process to disable collection
  • Data Deletion: Automatic deletion when you opt out

Mozilla's Privacy Commitment

Core privacy principles:

  • Privacy First: Built with privacy as a core principle
  • User Control: You decide what data to share
  • Transparency: Clear about data practices
  • No Profiling: No user profiling or targeted advertising

Best Practices for Data Collection

When to Enable Data Collection

Consider enabling if you want to:

  • Help Improve Browser: Contribute to Firefox development
  • Better Performance: Get optimized performance for your system
  • Support Open Source: Help improve open source software
  • Privacy Comfort: Are comfortable with the data being collected

When to Disable Data Collection

Consider disabling if you:

  • Have Privacy Concerns: Prefer maximum privacy
  • Use Sensitive Applications: Work with confidential information
  • Prefer Minimal Data Sharing: Want to limit data collection
  • Are in Regulated Environments: Work in industries with strict data requirements

Balanced Approach

Finding the right balance:

  • Understand the Benefits: Know how your data helps improve Firefox
  • Assess Privacy Impact: Consider your privacy comfort level
  • Review Regularly: Periodically review your data collection settings
  • Stay Informed: Keep up with Mozilla's privacy practices

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Setting Not Found

If you can't find the technical data setting:

  1. Check Version: Ensure you're using a recent Firefox/Oasis version
  2. Look in Privacy: The setting is in Privacy & Security section
  3. Scroll Down: It's located in Firefox Data Collection subsection
  4. Update Browser: Update to the latest version if needed

Setting Won't Save

If the setting doesn't persist:

  • Restart Browser: Restart Oasis after changing the setting
  • Check Permissions: Ensure browser has permission to save settings
  • Clear Cache: Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Check Extensions: Disable conflicting extensions temporarily

Still Seeing Data Collection

If you think data is still being collected:

  • Verify Setting: Double-check that the setting is actually disabled
  • Check Other Settings: Ensure other data collection is also disabled
  • Wait for Deletion: Data deletion takes up to 30 days
  • Contact Support: Reach out to Mozilla support if issues persist

Additional Resources

For more information about Firefox data collection and privacy settings, we recommend:

Official Mozilla Documentation - Complete guide from Mozilla support

Manage Firefox Data Collection - Complete data collection guide

Daily Usage Ping Settings - Manage daily usage data collection

Telemetry Documentation - Technical telemetry information

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About the Author

Adam Kershner
Adam Kershner
CTO

I'm the CTO of Kahana, bringing a unique perspective from my management consulting experience at Clarkston Consulting and biomedical engineering background from Duke University. I'm focused on making the future of work more ergonomic through innovative technology solutions that prioritize user well-being and productivity.