[Bug 1857975] Re: /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news is in violation of the GDPR

[Steve Langasek]

Software versions on a computer do not identify a person.  At no point
is the data from the user agent associated with a person.  Therefore
this is not personally identifying information under the GDPR.

When Canonical collects personally identifying information, it is done
with user consent, in compliance with the GDPR.

** Changed in: base-files (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Invalid

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1857975

Title:
  /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news is in violation of the GDPR

Status in base-files package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  /etc/update-motd.d/50-motd-news periodically makes a connection to
  motd.ubuntu.com and sends an User-Agent containing: “curl/$curl_ver
  $lsb $platform $cpu $uptime cloud_id/$cloud_id” (together with the IP
  address, obviously).

  While it can be argued that the checking for important messages (for
  things like “Heartbleed“ etc.) is necessary, the expressive User-Agent
  clearly is not. It is illegal (and potentially costly) to store any
  personally identifiable data that is not absolutely necessary without
  informed consent.

  This problematic behaviour is known since at least 2017:
  <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/base-files/+bug/1701068>.

  Note that the fact that it can be disabled does not help. If you want
  to collect this kind of data, you need informed consent.

  Why not just let curl use the default User-Agent?

  Please explain why you use this User-Agent, if you store it, if you
  store the IP address and for how long. And if you store anything,
  stop.

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