[tor-bugs] #32423 [Applications/Tor Browser]: Attempts to use location services silently fail with no user feedback as to why

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#32423: Attempts to use location services silently fail with no user feedback as to
why
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     Reporter:  pospeselr                 |      Owner:  tbb-team
         Type:  defect                    |     Status:  new
     Priority:  Medium                    |  Milestone:
    Component:  Applications/Tor Browser  |    Version:
     Severity:  Normal                    |   Keywords:
                                          |  TorBrowserTeam201910
Actual Points:                            |  Parent ID:
       Points:  1                         |   Reviewer:
      Sponsor:                            |
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 Clicking 'Try It' on this page (
 https://www.w3schools.com/html/html5_geolocation.asp ) should result in
 the location services permission prompt, but instead nothing seems to
 happen.

 Currently, Tor Browser completely disables location services via the
 {{{geo.enabled}}} preference.  However, there is no way through the
 about:preferences UI to enable location preferences for users who want it.

 The {{{Settings - Location Permissions}}} dialog (via
 {{{about:preferences#privacy -> Permissions -> Location Settings}}}) has a
 checkbox to **"Block new requests asking to access your location"**. Given
 Tor Browser's current behavior, we would expect that to be checked, but it
 is unchecked and toggling does not affect the behavior surrounding
 location services.

 We should look into what that checkbox is actually doing, and possibly tie
 it to the {{{geo.enabled}}} pref, or possibly revert the pref to true and
 use the settings this checkbox controls instead.

 The end result is that users should be able to enable location services
 without delving into about:config

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/32423>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online