Add experimental support for MSC3391: deleting account data (#14714)

changelog.d/14714.feature

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add experimental support for [MSC3391](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3391) (removing account data).

docker/complement/conf/workers-shared-extra.yaml.j2

@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ experimental_features:
   {% endif %}
   # Filtering /messages by relation type.
   msc3874_enabled: true
+  # Enable removing account data support
+  msc3391_enabled: true
 
 server_notices:
   system_mxid_localpart: _server

scripts-dev/complement.sh

@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ fi
 
 extra_test_args=()
 
-test_tags="synapse_blacklist,msc3787,msc3874"
+test_tags="synapse_blacklist,msc3787,msc3874,msc3391"
 
 # All environment variables starting with PASS_ will be shared.
 # (The prefix is stripped off before reaching the container.)

synapse/config/experimental.py

@@ -136,3 +136,6 @@ class ExperimentalConfig(Config):
             # Enable room version (and thus applicable push rules from MSC3931/3932)
             version_id = RoomVersions.MSC1767v10.identifier
             KNOWN_ROOM_VERSIONS[version_id] = RoomVersions.MSC1767v10
+
+        # MSC3391: Removing account data.
+        self.msc3391_enabled = experimental.get("msc3391_enabled", False)

synapse/handlers/account_data.py

@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ import random
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Awaitable, Callable, Collection, List, Optional, Tuple
 
 from synapse.replication.http.account_data import (
+    ReplicationAddRoomAccountDataRestServlet,
     ReplicationAddTagRestServlet,
+    ReplicationAddUserAccountDataRestServlet,
+    ReplicationRemoveRoomAccountDataRestServlet,
     ReplicationRemoveTagRestServlet,
-    ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet,
-    ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet,
+    ReplicationRemoveUserAccountDataRestServlet,
 )
 from synapse.streams import EventSource
 from synapse.types import JsonDict, StreamKeyType, UserID
@@ -41,8 +43,18 @@ class AccountDataHandler:
         self._instance_name = hs.get_instance_name()
         self._notifier = hs.get_notifier()
 
-        self._user_data_client = ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
-        self._room_data_client = ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
+        self._add_user_data_client = (
+            ReplicationAddUserAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
+        )
+        self._remove_user_data_client = (
+            ReplicationRemoveUserAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
+        )
+        self._add_room_data_client = (
+            ReplicationAddRoomAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
+        )
+        self._remove_room_data_client = (
+            ReplicationRemoveRoomAccountDataRestServlet.make_client(hs)
+        )
         self._add_tag_client = ReplicationAddTagRestServlet.make_client(hs)
         self._remove_tag_client = ReplicationRemoveTagRestServlet.make_client(hs)
         self._account_data_writers = hs.config.worker.writers.account_data
@@ -112,7 +124,7 @@ class AccountDataHandler:
 
             return max_stream_id
         else:
-            response = await self._room_data_client(
+            response = await self._add_room_data_client(
                 instance_name=random.choice(self._account_data_writers),
                 user_id=user_id,
                 room_id=room_id,
@@ -121,15 +133,59 @@ class AccountDataHandler:
             )
             return response["max_stream_id"]
 
+    async def remove_account_data_for_room(
+        self, user_id: str, room_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> Optional[int]:
+        """
+        Deletes the room account data for the given user and account data type.
+
+        "Deleting" account data merely means setting the content of the account data
+        to an empty JSON object: {}.
+
+        Args:
+            user_id: The user ID to remove room account data for.
+            room_id: The room ID to target.
+            account_data_type: The account data type to remove.
+
+        Returns:
+            The maximum stream ID, or None if the room account data item did not exist.
+        """
+        if self._instance_name in self._account_data_writers:
+            max_stream_id = await self._store.remove_account_data_for_room(
+                user_id, room_id, account_data_type
+            )
+            if max_stream_id is None:
+                # The referenced account data did not exist, so no delete occurred.
+                return None
+
+            self._notifier.on_new_event(
+                StreamKeyType.ACCOUNT_DATA, max_stream_id, users=[user_id]
+            )
+
+            # Notify Synapse modules that the content of the type has changed to an
+            # empty dictionary.
+            await self._notify_modules(user_id, room_id, account_data_type, {})
+
+            return max_stream_id
+        else:
+            response = await self._remove_room_data_client(
+                instance_name=random.choice(self._account_data_writers),
+                user_id=user_id,
+                room_id=room_id,
+                account_data_type=account_data_type,
+                content={},
+            )
+            return response["max_stream_id"]
+
     async def add_account_data_for_user(
         self, user_id: str, account_data_type: str, content: JsonDict
     ) -> int:
         """Add some global account_data for a user.
 
         Args:
-            user_id: The user to add a tag for.
+            user_id: The user to add some account data for.
             account_data_type: The type of account_data to add.
-            content: A json object to associate with the tag.
+            content: The content json dictionary.
 
         Returns:
             The maximum stream ID.
@@ -148,7 +204,7 @@ class AccountDataHandler:
 
             return max_stream_id
         else:
-            response = await self._user_data_client(
+            response = await self._add_user_data_client(
                 instance_name=random.choice(self._account_data_writers),
                 user_id=user_id,
                 account_data_type=account_data_type,
@@ -156,6 +212,45 @@ class AccountDataHandler:
             )
             return response["max_stream_id"]
 
+    async def remove_account_data_for_user(
+        self, user_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> Optional[int]:
+        """Removes a piece of global account_data for a user.
+
+        Args:
+            user_id: The user to remove account data for.
+            account_data_type: The type of account_data to remove.
+
+        Returns:
+            The maximum stream ID, or None if the room account data item did not exist.
+        """
+
+        if self._instance_name in self._account_data_writers:
+            max_stream_id = await self._store.remove_account_data_for_user(
+                user_id, account_data_type
+            )
+            if max_stream_id is None:
+                # The referenced account data did not exist, so no delete occurred.
+                return None
+
+            self._notifier.on_new_event(
+                StreamKeyType.ACCOUNT_DATA, max_stream_id, users=[user_id]
+            )
+
+            # Notify Synapse modules that the content of the type has changed to an
+            # empty dictionary.
+            await self._notify_modules(user_id, None, account_data_type, {})
+
+            return max_stream_id
+        else:
+            response = await self._remove_user_data_client(
+                instance_name=random.choice(self._account_data_writers),
+                user_id=user_id,
+                account_data_type=account_data_type,
+                content={},
+            )
+            return response["max_stream_id"]
+
     async def add_tag_to_room(
         self, user_id: str, room_id: str, tag: str, content: JsonDict
     ) -> int:

synapse/replication/http/account_data.py

@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-class ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
+class ReplicationAddUserAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
     """Add user account data on the appropriate account data worker.
 
     Request format:
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ class ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         super().__init__(hs)
 
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
 
     @staticmethod
     async def _serialize_payload(  # type: ignore[override]
@@ -73,7 +72,45 @@ class ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         return 200, {"max_stream_id": max_stream_id}
 
 
-class ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
+class ReplicationRemoveUserAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
+    """Remove user account data on the appropriate account data worker.
+
+    Request format:
+
+        POST /_synapse/replication/remove_user_account_data/:user_id/:type
+
+        {
+            "content": { ... },
+        }
+
+    """
+
+    NAME = "remove_user_account_data"
+    PATH_ARGS = ("user_id", "account_data_type")
+    CACHE = False
+
+    def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
+        super().__init__(hs)
+
+        self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    async def _serialize_payload(  # type: ignore[override]
+        user_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> JsonDict:
+        return {}
+
+    async def _handle_request(  # type: ignore[override]
+        self, request: Request, user_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> Tuple[int, JsonDict]:
+        max_stream_id = await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_user(
+            user_id, account_data_type
+        )
+
+        return 200, {"max_stream_id": max_stream_id}
+
+
+class ReplicationAddRoomAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
     """Add room account data on the appropriate account data worker.
 
     Request format:
@@ -94,7 +131,6 @@ class ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         super().__init__(hs)
 
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
 
     @staticmethod
     async def _serialize_payload(  # type: ignore[override]
@@ -118,6 +154,44 @@ class ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         return 200, {"max_stream_id": max_stream_id}
 
 
+class ReplicationRemoveRoomAccountDataRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
+    """Remove room account data on the appropriate account data worker.
+
+    Request format:
+
+        POST /_synapse/replication/remove_room_account_data/:user_id/:room_id/:account_data_type
+
+        {
+            "content": { ... },
+        }
+
+    """
+
+    NAME = "remove_room_account_data"
+    PATH_ARGS = ("user_id", "room_id", "account_data_type")
+    CACHE = False
+
+    def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
+        super().__init__(hs)
+
+        self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    async def _serialize_payload(  # type: ignore[override]
+        user_id: str, room_id: str, account_data_type: str, content: JsonDict
+    ) -> JsonDict:
+        return {}
+
+    async def _handle_request(  # type: ignore[override]
+        self, request: Request, user_id: str, room_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> Tuple[int, JsonDict]:
+        max_stream_id = await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_room(
+            user_id, room_id, account_data_type
+        )
+
+        return 200, {"max_stream_id": max_stream_id}
+
+
 class ReplicationAddTagRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
     """Add tag on the appropriate account data worker.
 
@@ -139,7 +213,6 @@ class ReplicationAddTagRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         super().__init__(hs)
 
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
 
     @staticmethod
     async def _serialize_payload(  # type: ignore[override]
@@ -186,7 +259,6 @@ class ReplicationRemoveTagRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
         super().__init__(hs)
 
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
-        self.clock = hs.get_clock()
 
     @staticmethod
     async def _serialize_payload(user_id: str, room_id: str, tag: str) -> JsonDict:  # type: ignore[override]
@@ -206,7 +278,11 @@ class ReplicationRemoveTagRestServlet(ReplicationEndpoint):
 
 
 def register_servlets(hs: "HomeServer", http_server: HttpServer) -> None:
-    ReplicationUserAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
-    ReplicationRoomAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+    ReplicationAddUserAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+    ReplicationAddRoomAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     ReplicationAddTagRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     ReplicationRemoveTagRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+
+    if hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+        ReplicationRemoveUserAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+        ReplicationRemoveRoomAccountDataRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)

synapse/rest/client/account_data.py

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class AccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
 
     def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
         super().__init__()
+        self._hs = hs
         self.auth = hs.get_auth()
         self.store = hs.get_datastores().main
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
@@ -54,6 +55,16 @@ class AccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
 
         body = parse_json_object_from_request(request)
 
+        # If experimental support for MSC3391 is enabled, then providing an empty dict
+        # as the value for an account data type should be functionally equivalent to
+        # calling the DELETE method on the same type.
+        if self._hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+            if body == {}:
+                await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_user(
+                    user_id, account_data_type
+                )
+                return 200, {}
+
         await self.handler.add_account_data_for_user(user_id, account_data_type, body)
 
         return 200, {}
@@ -72,9 +83,48 @@ class AccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
         if event is None:
             raise NotFoundError("Account data not found")
 
+        # If experimental support for MSC3391 is enabled, then this endpoint should
+        # return a 404 if the content for an account data type is an empty dict.
+        if self._hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled and event == {}:
+            raise NotFoundError("Account data not found")
+
         return 200, event
 
 
+class UnstableAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
+    """
+    Contains an unstable endpoint for removing user account data, as specified by
+    MSC3391. If that MSC is accepted, this code should have unstable prefixes removed
+    and become incorporated into AccountDataServlet above.
+    """
+
+    PATTERNS = client_patterns(
+        "/org.matrix.msc3391/user/(?P<user_id>[^/]*)"
+        "/account_data/(?P<account_data_type>[^/]*)",
+        unstable=True,
+        releases=(),
+    )
+
+    def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.auth = hs.get_auth()
+        self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
+
+    async def on_DELETE(
+        self,
+        request: SynapseRequest,
+        user_id: str,
+        account_data_type: str,
+    ) -> Tuple[int, JsonDict]:
+        requester = await self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
+        if user_id != requester.user.to_string():
+            raise AuthError(403, "Cannot delete account data for other users.")
+
+        await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_user(user_id, account_data_type)
+
+        return 200, {}
+
+
 class RoomAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
     """
     PUT /user/{user_id}/rooms/{room_id}/account_data/{account_dataType} HTTP/1.1
@@ -89,6 +139,7 @@ class RoomAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
 
     def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
         super().__init__()
+        self._hs = hs
         self.auth = hs.get_auth()
         self.store = hs.get_datastores().main
         self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
@@ -121,6 +172,16 @@ class RoomAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
                 Codes.BAD_JSON,
             )
 
+        # If experimental support for MSC3391 is enabled, then providing an empty dict
+        # as the value for an account data type should be functionally equivalent to
+        # calling the DELETE method on the same type.
+        if self._hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+            if body == {}:
+                await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_room(
+                    user_id, room_id, account_data_type
+                )
+                return 200, {}
+
         await self.handler.add_account_data_to_room(
             user_id, room_id, account_data_type, body
         )
@@ -152,9 +213,63 @@ class RoomAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
         if event is None:
             raise NotFoundError("Room account data not found")
 
+        # If experimental support for MSC3391 is enabled, then this endpoint should
+        # return a 404 if the content for an account data type is an empty dict.
+        if self._hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled and event == {}:
+            raise NotFoundError("Room account data not found")
+
         return 200, event
 
 
+class UnstableRoomAccountDataServlet(RestServlet):
+    """
+    Contains an unstable endpoint for removing room account data, as specified by
+    MSC3391. If that MSC is accepted, this code should have unstable prefixes removed
+    and become incorporated into RoomAccountDataServlet above.
+    """
+
+    PATTERNS = client_patterns(
+        "/org.matrix.msc3391/user/(?P<user_id>[^/]*)"
+        "/rooms/(?P<room_id>[^/]*)"
+        "/account_data/(?P<account_data_type>[^/]*)",
+        unstable=True,
+        releases=(),
+    )
+
+    def __init__(self, hs: "HomeServer"):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.auth = hs.get_auth()
+        self.handler = hs.get_account_data_handler()
+
+    async def on_DELETE(
+        self,
+        request: SynapseRequest,
+        user_id: str,
+        room_id: str,
+        account_data_type: str,
+    ) -> Tuple[int, JsonDict]:
+        requester = await self.auth.get_user_by_req(request)
+        if user_id != requester.user.to_string():
+            raise AuthError(403, "Cannot delete account data for other users.")
+
+        if not RoomID.is_valid(room_id):
+            raise SynapseError(
+                400,
+                f"{room_id} is not a valid room ID",
+                Codes.INVALID_PARAM,
+            )
+
+        await self.handler.remove_account_data_for_room(
+            user_id, room_id, account_data_type
+        )
+
+        return 200, {}
+
+
 def register_servlets(hs: "HomeServer", http_server: HttpServer) -> None:
     AccountDataServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     RoomAccountDataServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+
+    if hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+        UnstableAccountDataServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+        UnstableRoomAccountDataServlet(hs).register(http_server)

synapse/storage/database.py

@@ -1762,7 +1762,8 @@ class DatabasePool:
             desc: description of the transaction, for logging and metrics
 
         Returns:
-            A list of dictionaries.
+            A list of dictionaries, one per result row, each a mapping between the
+            column names from `retcols` and that column's value for the row.
         """
         return await self.runInteraction(
             desc,
@@ -1791,6 +1792,10 @@ class DatabasePool:
                 column names and values to select the rows with, or None to not
                 apply a WHERE clause.
             retcols: the names of the columns to return
+
+        Returns:
+            A list of dictionaries, one per result row, each a mapping between the
+            column names from `retcols` and that column's value for the row.
         """
         if keyvalues:
             sql = "SELECT %s FROM %s WHERE %s" % (
@@ -1898,6 +1903,19 @@ class DatabasePool:
         updatevalues: Dict[str, Any],
         desc: str,
     ) -> int:
+        """
+        Update rows in the given database table.
+        If the given keyvalues don't match anything, nothing will be updated.
+
+        Args:
+            table: The database table to update.
+            keyvalues: A mapping of column name to value to match rows on.
+            updatevalues: A mapping of column name to value to replace in any matched rows.
+            desc: description of the transaction, for logging and metrics.
+
+        Returns:
+            The number of rows that were updated. Will be 0 if no matching rows were found.
+        """
         return await self.runInteraction(
             desc, self.simple_update_txn, table, keyvalues, updatevalues
         )
@@ -1909,6 +1927,19 @@ class DatabasePool:
         keyvalues: Dict[str, Any],
         updatevalues: Dict[str, Any],
     ) -> int:
+        """
+        Update rows in the given database table.
+        If the given keyvalues don't match anything, nothing will be updated.
+
+        Args:
+            txn: The database transaction object.
+            table: The database table to update.
+            keyvalues: A mapping of column name to value to match rows on.
+            updatevalues: A mapping of column name to value to replace in any matched rows.
+
+        Returns:
+            The number of rows that were updated. Will be 0 if no matching rows were found.
+        """
         if keyvalues:
             where = "WHERE %s" % " AND ".join("%s = ?" % k for k in keyvalues.keys())
         else:

synapse/storage/databases/main/account_data.py

@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ class AccountDataWorkerStore(PushRulesWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStore)
     async def get_account_data_for_user(
         self, user_id: str
     ) -> Tuple[Dict[str, JsonDict], Dict[str, Dict[str, JsonDict]]]:
-        """Get all the client account_data for a user.
+        """
+        Get all the client account_data for a user.
+
+        If experimental MSC3391 support is enabled, any entries with an empty
+        content body are excluded; as this means they have been deleted.
 
         Args:
             user_id: The user to get the account_data for.
@@ -135,27 +139,48 @@ class AccountDataWorkerStore(PushRulesWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStore)
         def get_account_data_for_user_txn(
             txn: LoggingTransaction,
         ) -> Tuple[Dict[str, JsonDict], Dict[str, Dict[str, JsonDict]]]:
-            rows = self.db_pool.simple_select_list_txn(
-                txn,
-                "account_data",
-                {"user_id": user_id},
-                ["account_data_type", "content"],
-            )
+            # The 'content != '{}' condition below prevents us from using
+            # `simple_select_list_txn` here, as it doesn't support conditions
+            # other than 'equals'.
+            sql = """
+                SELECT account_data_type, content FROM account_data
+                WHERE user_id = ?
+            """
+
+            # If experimental MSC3391 support is enabled, then account data entries
+            # with an empty content are considered "deleted". So skip adding them to
+            # the results.
+            if self.hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+                sql += " AND content != '{}'"
+
+            txn.execute(sql, (user_id,))
+            rows = self.db_pool.cursor_to_dict(txn)
 
             global_account_data = {
                 row["account_data_type"]: db_to_json(row["content"]) for row in rows
             }
 
-            rows = self.db_pool.simple_select_list_txn(
-                txn,
-                "room_account_data",
-                {"user_id": user_id},
-                ["room_id", "account_data_type", "content"],
-            )
+            # The 'content != '{}' condition below prevents us from using
+            # `simple_select_list_txn` here, as it doesn't support conditions
+            # other than 'equals'.
+            sql = """
+                SELECT room_id, account_data_type, content FROM room_account_data
+                WHERE user_id = ?
+            """
+
+            # If experimental MSC3391 support is enabled, then account data entries
+            # with an empty content are considered "deleted". So skip adding them to
+            # the results.
+            if self.hs.config.experimental.msc3391_enabled:
+                sql += " AND content != '{}'"
+
+            txn.execute(sql, (user_id,))
+            rows = self.db_pool.cursor_to_dict(txn)
 
             by_room: Dict[str, Dict[str, JsonDict]] = {}
             for row in rows:
                 room_data = by_room.setdefault(row["room_id"], {})
+
                 room_data[row["account_data_type"]] = db_to_json(row["content"])
 
             return global_account_data, by_room
@@ -469,6 +494,72 @@ class AccountDataWorkerStore(PushRulesWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStore)
 
         return self._account_data_id_gen.get_current_token()
 
+    async def remove_account_data_for_room(
+        self, user_id: str, room_id: str, account_data_type: str
+    ) -> Optional[int]:
+        """Delete the room account data for the user of a given type.
+
+        Args:
+            user_id: The user to remove account_data for.
+            room_id: The room ID to scope the request to.
+            account_data_type: The account data type to delete.
+
+        Returns:
+            The maximum stream position, or None if there was no matching room account
+            data to delete.
+        """
+        assert self._can_write_to_account_data
+        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
+
+        def _remove_account_data_for_room_txn(
+            txn: LoggingTransaction, next_id: int
+        ) -> bool:
+            """
+            Args:
+                txn: The transaction object.
+                next_id: The stream_id to update any existing rows to.
+
+            Returns:
+                True if an entry in room_account_data had its content set to '{}',
+                otherwise False. This informs callers of whether there actually was an
+                existing room account data entry to delete, or if the call was a no-op.
+            """
+            # We can't use `simple_update` as it doesn't have the ability to specify
+            # where clauses other than '=', which we need for `content != '{}'` below.
+            sql = """
+                UPDATE room_account_data
+                    SET stream_id = ?, content = '{}'
+                WHERE user_id = ?
+                    AND room_id = ?
+                    AND account_data_type = ?
+                    AND content != '{}'
+            """
+            txn.execute(
+                sql,
+                (next_id, user_id, room_id, account_data_type),
+            )
+            # Return true if any rows were updated.
+            return txn.rowcount != 0
+
+        async with self._account_data_id_gen.get_next() as next_id:
+            row_updated = await self.db_pool.runInteraction(
+                "remove_account_data_for_room",
+                _remove_account_data_for_room_txn,
+                next_id,
+            )
+
+            if not row_updated:
+                return None
+
+            self._account_data_stream_cache.entity_has_changed(user_id, next_id)
+            self.get_account_data_for_user.invalidate((user_id,))
+            self.get_account_data_for_room.invalidate((user_id, room_id))
+            self.get_account_data_for_room_and_type.prefill(
+                (user_id, room_id, account_data_type), {}
+            )
+
+        return self._account_data_id_gen.get_current_token()
+
     async def add_account_data_for_user(
         self, user_id: str, account_data_type: str, content: JsonDict
     ) -> int:
@@ -569,6 +660,108 @@ class AccountDataWorkerStore(PushRulesWorkerStore, CacheInvalidationWorkerStore)
             self._invalidate_cache_and_stream(txn, self.ignored_by, (ignored_user_id,))
         self._invalidate_cache_and_stream(txn, self.ignored_users, (user_id,))
 
+    async def remove_account_data_for_user(
+        self,
+        user_id: str,
+        account_data_type: str,
+    ) -> Optional[int]:
+        """
+        Delete a single piece of user account data by type.
+
+        A "delete" is performed by updating a potentially existing row in the
+        "account_data" database table for (user_id, account_data_type) and
+        setting its content to "{}".
+
+        Args:
+            user_id: The user ID to modify the account data of.
+            account_data_type: The type to remove.
+
+        Returns:
+            The maximum stream position, or None if there was no matching account data
+            to delete.
+        """
+        assert self._can_write_to_account_data
+        assert isinstance(self._account_data_id_gen, AbstractStreamIdGenerator)
+
+        def _remove_account_data_for_user_txn(
+            txn: LoggingTransaction, next_id: int
+        ) -> bool:
+            """
+            Args:
+                txn: The transaction object.
+                next_id: The stream_id to update any existing rows to.
+
+            Returns:
+                True if an entry in account_data had its content set to '{}', otherwise
+                False. This informs callers of whether there actually was an existing
+                account data entry to delete, or if the call was a no-op.
+            """
+            # We can't use `simple_update` as it doesn't have the ability to specify
+            # where clauses other than '=', which we need for `content != '{}'` below.
+            sql = """
+                UPDATE account_data
+                    SET stream_id = ?, content = '{}'
+                WHERE user_id = ?
+                    AND account_data_type = ?
+                    AND content != '{}'
+            """
+            txn.execute(sql, (next_id, user_id, account_data_type))
+            if txn.rowcount == 0:
+                # We didn't update any rows. This means that there was no matching room
+                # account data entry to delete in the first place.
+                return False
+
+            # Ignored users get denormalized into a separate table as an optimisation.
+            if account_data_type == AccountDataTypes.IGNORED_USER_LIST:
+                # If this method was called with the ignored users account data type, we
+                # simply delete all ignored users.
+
+                # First pull all the users that this user ignores.
+                previously_ignored_users = set(
+                    self.db_pool.simple_select_onecol_txn(
+                        txn,
+                        table="ignored_users",
+                        keyvalues={"ignorer_user_id": user_id},
+                        retcol="ignored_user_id",
+                    )
+                )
+
+                # Then delete them from the database.
+                self.db_pool.simple_delete_txn(
+                    txn,
+                    table="ignored_users",
+                    keyvalues={"ignorer_user_id": user_id},
+                )
+
+                # Invalidate the cache for ignored users which were removed.
+                for ignored_user_id in previously_ignored_users:
+                    self._invalidate_cache_and_stream(
+                        txn, self.ignored_by, (ignored_user_id,)
+                    )
+
+                # Invalidate for this user the cache tracking ignored users.
+                self._invalidate_cache_and_stream(txn, self.ignored_users, (user_id,))
+
+            return True
+
+        async with self._account_data_id_gen.get_next() as next_id:
+            row_updated = await self.db_pool.runInteraction(
+                "remove_account_data_for_user",
+                _remove_account_data_for_user_txn,
+                next_id,
+            )
+
+            if not row_updated:
+                return None
+
+            self._account_data_stream_cache.entity_has_changed(user_id, next_id)
+            self.get_account_data_for_user.invalidate((user_id,))
+            self.get_global_account_data_by_type_for_user.prefill(
+                (user_id, account_data_type), {}
+            )
+
+        return self._account_data_id_gen.get_current_token()
+
     async def purge_account_data_for_user(self, user_id: str) -> None:
         """
         Removes ALL the account data for a user.