diff --git a/blocks/tests/privacy_test.php b/blocks/tests/privacy_test.php
index d8384a3f79a..8c6327eeede 100644
--- a/blocks/tests/privacy_test.php
+++ b/blocks/tests/privacy_test.php
@@ -300,18 +300,18 @@ class core_block_privacy_testcase extends provider_testcase {
         // Export data.
         provider::export_user_data(new approved_contextlist($u1, 'core_block', [$bmyprofile->context->id, $blogin->context->id,
             $bmentees->context->id, $bprivatefiles->context->id]));
-        $prefs = writer::with_context($bmentees->context)->get_user_preferences('core_block');
+        $prefs = writer::with_context($bmentees->context)->get_user_context_preferences('core_block');
         $this->assertEmpty((array) $prefs);
 
-        $prefs = writer::with_context($blogin->context)->get_user_preferences('core_block');
+        $prefs = writer::with_context($blogin->context)->get_user_context_preferences('core_block');
         $this->assertEquals($no, $prefs->block_is_docked->value);
         $this->assertEquals($yes, $prefs->block_is_hidden->value);
 
-        $prefs = writer::with_context($bprivatefiles->context)->get_user_preferences('core_block');
+        $prefs = writer::with_context($bprivatefiles->context)->get_user_context_preferences('core_block');
         $this->assertObjectNotHasAttribute('block_is_docked', $prefs);
         $this->assertEquals($no, $prefs->block_is_hidden->value);
 
-        $prefs = writer::with_context($bmyprofile->context)->get_user_preferences('core_block');
+        $prefs = writer::with_context($bmyprofile->context)->get_user_context_preferences('core_block');
         $this->assertEquals($yes, $prefs->block_is_docked->value);
         $this->assertObjectNotHasAttribute('block_is_hidden', $prefs);
     }
diff --git a/privacy/classes/tests/request/content_writer.php b/privacy/classes/tests/request/content_writer.php
index a5515b0b1b6..bc7f49751a1 100644
--- a/privacy/classes/tests/request/content_writer.php
+++ b/privacy/classes/tests/request/content_writer.php
@@ -82,7 +82,18 @@ class content_writer implements \core_privacy\local\request\content_writer {
         $hascustomfiles = !empty($this->customfiles->{$this->context->id});
         $hasuserprefs = !empty($this->userprefs->{$this->context->id});
 
-        return $hasdata || $hasrelateddata || $hasmetadata || $hasfiles || $hascustomfiles || $hasuserprefs;
+        $systemcontext = \context_system::instance();
+        $hasglobaluserprefs = !empty($this->userprefs->{$systemcontext->id});
+
+        $hasanydata = $hasdata;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hasrelateddata;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hasmetadata;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hasfiles;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hascustomfiles;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hasuserprefs;
+        $hasanydata = $hasanydata || $hasglobaluserprefs;
+
+        return $hasanydata;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -415,6 +426,22 @@ class content_writer implements \core_privacy\local\request\content_writer {
      * @return  \stdClass
      */
     public function get_user_preferences(string $component) {
+        $context = \context_system::instance();
+        $prefs = $this->fetch_root($this->userprefs, [], $context->id);
+        if (isset($prefs->{$component})) {
+            return $prefs->{$component};
+        } else {
+            return (object) [];
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get all user preferences for the specified component.
+     *
+     * @param   string          $component  The name of the component.
+     * @return  \stdClass
+     */
+    public function get_user_context_preferences(string $component) {
         $prefs = $this->fetch_root($this->userprefs, []);
         if (isset($prefs->{$component})) {
             return $prefs->{$component};
@@ -437,17 +464,19 @@ class content_writer implements \core_privacy\local\request\content_writer {
      *
      * @param   \stdClass   $base The base to use - e.g. $this->data
      * @param   array       $subcontext The subcontext to fetch
+     * @param   int         $temporarycontextid A temporary context ID to use for the fetch.
      * @return  array
      */
-    protected function fetch_root($base, $subcontext) {
-        if (!isset($base->{$this->context->id})) {
-            $base->{$this->context->id} = (object) [
+    protected function fetch_root($base, $subcontext, $temporarycontextid = null) {
+        $contextid = !empty($temporarycontextid) ? $temporarycontextid : $this->context->id;
+        if (!isset($base->{$contextid})) {
+            $base->{$contextid} = (object) [
                 'children' => (object) [],
                 'data' => [],
             ];
         }
 
-        $current = $base->{$this->context->id};
+        $current = $base->{$contextid};
         foreach ($subcontext as $node) {
             if (!isset($current->children->{$node})) {
                 $current->children->{$node} = (object) [
diff --git a/privacy/tests/tests_content_writer_test.php b/privacy/tests/tests_content_writer_test.php
index f8d2bfa6a1e..3783ba2ebe3 100644
--- a/privacy/tests/tests_content_writer_test.php
+++ b/privacy/tests/tests_content_writer_test.php
@@ -188,14 +188,26 @@ class tests_content_writer_test extends advanced_testcase {
      */
     public function test_export_user_preference() {
         $context = \context_system::instance();
+        $adminuser = \core_user::get_user_by_username('admin');
+        $usercontext = \context_user::instance($adminuser->id);
         $writer = $this->get_writer_instance();
 
         $writer->set_context($context)
+            ->export_user_preference('core_privacy', 'somekey', 'value0', 'description0');
+        $writer->set_context($usercontext)
             ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'somekey', 'value1', 'description1')
             ->export_user_preference('core_privacy', 'somekey', 'value2', 'description2')
             ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'someotherkey', 'value2', 'description2');
 
-        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_preferences('core_tests');
+        $writer->set_context($usercontext);
+
+        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_preferences('core_privacy');
+        $this->assertCount(1, (array) $someprefs);
+        $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
+        $this->assertEquals('value0', $someprefs->somekey->value);
+        $this->assertEquals('description0', $someprefs->somekey->description);
+
+        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_context_preferences('core_tests');
         $this->assertCount(2, (array) $someprefs);
         $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
         $this->assertEquals('value1', $someprefs->somekey->value);
@@ -204,7 +216,7 @@ class tests_content_writer_test extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertEquals('value2', $someprefs->someotherkey->value);
         $this->assertEquals('description2', $someprefs->someotherkey->description);
 
-        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_preferences('core_privacy');
+        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_context_preferences('core_privacy');
         $this->assertCount(1, (array) $someprefs);
         $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
         $this->assertEquals('value2', $someprefs->somekey->value);
@@ -216,25 +228,35 @@ class tests_content_writer_test extends advanced_testcase {
      */
     public function test_export_user_preference_no_context_clash() {
         $writer = $this->get_writer_instance();
-
         $context = \context_system::instance();
-        $writer->set_context($context)
-            ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'somekey', 'value1', 'description1');
-
+        $coursecontext = \context_course::instance(SITEID);
         $adminuser = \core_user::get_user_by_username('admin');
         $usercontext = \context_user::instance($adminuser->id);
+
+        $writer->set_context($context)
+            ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'somekey', 'value0', 'description0');
+        $writer->set_context($coursecontext)
+            ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'somekey', 'value1', 'description1');
         $writer->set_context($usercontext)
             ->export_user_preference('core_tests', 'somekey', 'value2', 'description2');
 
-        $writer->set_context($context);
+        // Set the course context and fetch with get_user_preferences to get the global preference.
+        $writer->set_context($coursecontext);
         $someprefs = $writer->get_user_preferences('core_tests');
         $this->assertCount(1, (array) $someprefs);
         $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
+        $this->assertEquals('value0', $someprefs->somekey->value);
+        $this->assertEquals('description0', $someprefs->somekey->description);
+
+        // Set the course context and fetch with get_user_context_preferences.
+        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_context_preferences('core_tests');
+        $this->assertCount(1, (array) $someprefs);
+        $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
         $this->assertEquals('value1', $someprefs->somekey->value);
         $this->assertEquals('description1', $someprefs->somekey->description);
 
         $writer->set_context($usercontext);
-        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_preferences('core_tests');
+        $someprefs = $writer->get_user_context_preferences('core_tests');
         $this->assertCount(1, (array) $someprefs);
         $this->assertTrue(isset($someprefs->somekey));
         $this->assertEquals('value2', $someprefs->somekey->value);