PlayStation Data Donation App

⚠️ BETA VERSION: This application is currently in beta. Users may encounter bugs or unexpected behavior. Please report any issues to the development team.

A React application that allows users to donate their PlayStation data for academic research while maintaining full control over what data is shared.

🚀 Live Demo

Try the application here: https://digital-wellbeing.github.io/universal-data-donor/

Features

Data Upload & Processing

• Upload PlayStation data files (.xlsx format)
• Automatic parsing and extraction of relevant data tables
• Support for multiple data categories (Account Device, Gameplay Online, Transaction Details, etc.)
• NEW: Intelligent failsafe detection for incorrect or corrupted files
• Warning system when uploaded files lack expected PlayStation data sheets

Data Review & Control

• Interactive data tables with filtering capabilities
• Row-by-row deletion control
• Real-time tracking of deleted rows per table
• Responsive design for various screen sizes

Privacy-First Data Donation

• NEW: Comprehensive JSON export when donating data
• Automatic removal of internal application fields
• Complete tracking of user deletions
• Metadata generation for transparency

Data Export Structure

When users click "Yes, donate", a JSON file is automatically downloaded containing:

{
  "submissionId": "16-digit-unique-id",
  "timestamp": "ISO-8601-timestamp",
  "data": {
    "TableName1": [/* remaining user data */],
    "TableName2": [/* remaining user data */]
  },
  "deletedRowCounts": {
    "TableName1": 5,
    "TableName2": 2
  },
  "parsingErrors": {
    "sheetsNotFound": ["Sheet1", "Sheet2"],
    "tablesNotParsed": [
      {
        "sheetName": "Sheet3",
        "reason": "Could not find expected header row",
        "expectedColumns": ["Column1", "Column2"]
      }
    ]
  },
  "metadata": {
    "totalTables": 2,
    "totalRemainingRows": 150,
    "totalDeletedRows": 7,
    "totalSheetsNotFound": 2,
    "totalTablesNotParsed": 1
  }
}

Application Flow

1. Consent Page: Users review and agree to data donation terms
2. Upload Page: Users upload their PlayStation data file (.xlsx)
   • File Validation: Automatic detection of incorrect or corrupted files
   • Warning System: Users are alerted if the file lacks expected PlayStation data
   • User Choice: Option to try again or proceed anyway
3. Filter Page: Users review data tables and can delete specific rows
4. Donation Process: When "Yes, donate" is clicked:
   • All remaining data is collected
   • Deleted row counts are tracked
   • JSON package is created and downloaded
   • User is redirected to thank you page
5. Thank You Page: Confirmation with submission ID

Technical Stack

• Frontend: React 19.1.0 with React Router
• UI Components: Material-UI (MUI) with Bootstrap
• Data Processing: ExcelJS for file parsing
• Data Display: MUI DataGrid for interactive tables
• Build Tool: Create React App

Available Scripts

In the project directory, you can run:

npm start

Runs the app in development mode.
Open http://localhost:3000 to view it in your browser.

The page will reload when you make changes and you may see lint errors in the console.

npm test

Launches the test runner in interactive watch mode.
Tests cover the core functionality including data parsing and export features.

npm run build

Builds the app for production to the build folder.
The build is optimized and minified for deployment.

Development Notes

Recent Updates

• File Validation Failsafe: Added intelligent detection for incorrect or corrupted PlayStation data files
• Platform-Specific Validators: Configurable validators ensure uploaded files contain usable data
• Data Donation Enhancement: Added comprehensive JSON export functionality
• Privacy Controls: Implemented automatic removal of internal application fields
• Deletion Tracking: Added per-table deleted row count tracking
• Parsing Error Tracking: Added tracking of sheets that couldn't be found or parsed
• Metadata Generation: Included donation statistics and timestamps

Key Components

• FilterPage.js: Main data review interface with donation functionality
• UploadPage.js: File upload and processing
• playstationParser.js: Excel file parsing logic
• ConsentPage.js: User consent and terms
• ThankYouPage.js: Donation confirmation

Data Privacy & Security

Privacy Features

• Local Processing: All data processing happens locally in the browser
• User Control: Users can delete specific rows before donation
• Transparent Export: Clear visibility into what data is being donated
• Clean Data: Internal application fields are automatically removed

Supported Data Categories

• Account Device information
• Gameplay Online sessions
• Friend count data
• PS Stars campaigns and collectibles
• Transaction details
• Subscription information
• PS VR usage data

File Validation & Failsafe System

The application includes an intelligent failsafe system that automatically detects potentially incorrect or corrupted PlayStation data files:

Detection Criteria

• No Data Found: Triggers warning when no PlayStation data sheets contain any actual data
• Empty File Detection: Identifies files that may be corrupted, incomplete, or not PlayStation exports
• Data Validation: Ensures at least one sheet of interest has recognizable PlayStation data

User Experience

When a problematic file is detected, users see:

• Clear Warning Message: Explanation of the potential issue
• Detailed Information: List of missing or unparseable sheets
• Action Options:
  • "Try Again" - Upload a different file
  • "Proceed Anyway" - Continue with available data
• Guidance: Recommendation to contact researchers if needed

Expected PlayStation Data Sheets

The system expects to find these sheets in a valid PlayStation data export:

• Account Device
• Gameplay Online
• No of Friends
• PS Now
• Ps Stars Campaigns
• Ps Stars Collectibles
• Ps Stars Enrollments
• Ps Stars Points History
• PS VR
• Subscription
• Transaction Detail

File Structure

src/
├── components/          # Reusable UI components
│   ├── Header.js
│   └── CopyToClipboard.js
├── pages/              # Main application pages
│   ├── ConsentPage.js
│   ├── UploadPage.js
│   ├── FilterPage.js
│   └── ThankYouPage.js
├── parsers/            # Data processing utilities
│   └── playstationParser.js
└── App.js              # Main application component

Contributing

This project is designed for academic research purposes. When contributing:

1. Ensure data privacy is maintained
2. Test with sample data files
3. Verify export functionality works correctly
4. Follow React best practices
5. Update tests for new features

License

This project is intended for academic research purposes.