--- a/dom/base/nsDocument.cpp
+++ b/dom/base/nsDocument.cpp
@@ -1489,17 +1489,17 @@ nsIDocument::nsIDocument()
     mWindow(nullptr),
     mBFCacheEntry(nullptr),
     mInSyncOperationCount(0),
     mBlockDOMContentLoaded(0),
     mUseCounters(0),
     mChildDocumentUseCounters(0),
     mNotifiedPageForUseCounter(0),
     mUserHasInteracted(false),
-    mUserHasActivatedInteraction(false),
+    mUserGestureActivated(false),
     mStackRefCnt(0),
     mUpdateNestLevel(0),
     mViewportType(Unknown),
     mViewportOverflowType(ViewportOverflowType::NoOverflow),
     mSubDocuments(nullptr),
     mHeaderData(nullptr),
     mFlashClassification(FlashClassification::Unclassified),
     mBoxObjectTable(nullptr),
@@ -12485,91 +12485,50 @@ void
 nsIDocument::SetUserHasInteracted(bool aUserHasInteracted)
 {
   MOZ_LOG(gUserInteractionPRLog, LogLevel::Debug,
           ("Document %p has been interacted by user.", this));
   mUserHasInteracted = aUserHasInteracted;
 }
 
 void
-nsIDocument::NotifyUserActivation()
-{
-  ActivateByUserGesture();
-  // Activate parent document which has same principle on the parent chain.
-  nsCOMPtr<nsIPrincipal> principal = NodePrincipal();
-  nsCOMPtr<nsIDocument> parent = GetSameTypeParentDocument();
-  while (parent) {
-    parent->MaybeActivateByUserGesture(principal);
-    parent = parent->GetSameTypeParentDocument();
-  }
-}
-
-void
-nsIDocument::MaybeActivateByUserGesture(nsIPrincipal* aPrincipal)
-{
-  bool isEqual = false;
-  nsresult rv = aPrincipal->Equals(NodePrincipal(), &isEqual);
-  if (NS_WARN_IF(NS_FAILED(rv))) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  // If a child frame is actived, it would always activate the top frame and its
-  // parent frames which has same priciple.
-  if (isEqual || IsTopLevelContentDocument()) {
-    ActivateByUserGesture();
-  }
-}
-
-void
-nsIDocument::ActivateByUserGesture()
-{
-  if (mUserHasActivatedInteraction) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  MOZ_LOG(gUserInteractionPRLog, LogLevel::Debug,
-          ("Document %p has been activated by user.", this));
-  mUserHasActivatedInteraction = true;
+nsIDocument::NotifyUserGestureActivation()
+{
+  // Activate this document and all documents up to the top level
+  // content document.
+  nsIDocument* doc = this;
+  while (doc && !doc->mUserGestureActivated) {
+    MOZ_LOG(gUserInteractionPRLog,
+            LogLevel::Debug,
+            ("Document %p has been activated by user.", this));
+    doc->mUserGestureActivated = true;
+    doc = doc->GetSameTypeParentDocument();
+  }
 }
 
 bool
-nsIDocument::HasBeenUserActivated()
-{
-  if (!mUserHasActivatedInteraction) {
-    // If one of its parent on the parent chain has been activated and has same
-    // principal, then this child would also be treated as activated.
-    nsIDocument* parent =
-      GetFirstParentDocumentWithSamePrincipal(NodePrincipal());
-    if (parent) {
-      mUserHasActivatedInteraction = parent->HasBeenUserActivated();
-    }
-  }
-
-  return mUserHasActivatedInteraction;
-}
-
-nsIDocument*
-nsIDocument::GetFirstParentDocumentWithSamePrincipal(nsIPrincipal* aPrincipal)
-{
-  MOZ_ASSERT(aPrincipal);
-  nsIDocument* parent = GetSameTypeParentDocument();
-  while (parent) {
-    bool isEqual = false;
-    nsresult rv = aPrincipal->Equals(parent->NodePrincipal(), &isEqual);
-    if (NS_WARN_IF(NS_FAILED(rv))) {
-      return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    if (isEqual) {
-      return parent;
-    }
-    parent = parent->GetSameTypeParentDocument();
-  }
-  MOZ_ASSERT(!parent);
-  return nullptr;
+nsIDocument::HasBeenUserGestureActivated()
+{
+  if (mUserGestureActivated) {
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  // If any ancestor document is activated, so are we.
+  nsIDocument* doc = GetSameTypeParentDocument();
+  while (doc) {
+    if (doc->mUserGestureActivated) {
+      // An ancestor is also activated. Record activation on the unactivated
+      // sub-branch to speed up future queries.
+      NotifyUserGestureActivation();
+      break;
+    }
+    doc = doc->GetSameTypeParentDocument();
+  }
+
+  return mUserGestureActivated;
 }
 
 nsIDocument*
 nsIDocument::GetSameTypeParentDocument()
 {
   nsCOMPtr<nsIDocShellTreeItem> current = GetDocShell();
   if (!current) {
     return nullptr;

--- a/dom/base/nsIDocument.h
+++ b/dom/base/nsIDocument.h
@@ -3391,28 +3391,35 @@ public:
   void SetDocumentAndPageUseCounter(mozilla::UseCounter aUseCounter)
   {
     SetDocumentUseCounter(aUseCounter);
     SetPageUseCounter(aUseCounter);
   }
 
   void PropagateUseCounters(nsIDocument* aParentDocument);
 
+  // Called to track whether this document has had any interaction.
+  // This is used to track whether we should permit "beforeunload".
   void SetUserHasInteracted(bool aUserHasInteracted);
   bool UserHasInteracted()
   {
     return mUserHasInteracted;
   }
 
-  // This would be called when document get activated by specific user gestures
-  // and propagate the user activation flag to its parent.
-  void NotifyUserActivation();
-
-  // Return true if document has interacted by specific user gestures.
-  bool HasBeenUserActivated();
+  // This should be called when this document receives events which are likely
+  // to be user interaction with the document, rather than the byproduct of
+  // interaction with the browser (i.e. a keypress to scroll the view port,
+  // keyboard shortcuts, etc). This is used to decide whether we should
+  // permit autoplay audible media. This also gesture activates all other
+  // content documents in this tab.
+  void NotifyUserGestureActivation();
+
+  // Return true if NotifyUserGestureActivation() has been called on any
+  // document in the document tree.
+  bool HasBeenUserGestureActivated();
 
   bool HasScriptsBlockedBySandbox();
 
   bool InlineScriptAllowedByCSP();
 
   void ReportHasScrollLinkedEffect();
   bool HasScrollLinkedEffect() const
   {
@@ -3700,24 +3707,16 @@ protected:
   void UpdateFrameRequestCallbackSchedulingState(nsIPresShell* aOldShell = nullptr);
 
   // Helper for GetScrollingElement/IsScrollingElement.
   bool IsPotentiallyScrollable(mozilla::dom::HTMLBodyElement* aBody);
 
   // Return the same type parent docuement if exists, or return null.
   nsIDocument* GetSameTypeParentDocument();
 
-  // Return the first parent document with same pricipal, return nullptr if we
-  // can't find it.
-  nsIDocument* GetFirstParentDocumentWithSamePrincipal(nsIPrincipal* aPrincipal);
-
-  // Activate the flag 'mUserHasActivatedInteraction' by specific user gestures.
-  void ActivateByUserGesture();
-  void MaybeActivateByUserGesture(nsIPrincipal* aPrincipal);
-
   // Helpers for GetElementsByName.
   static bool MatchNameAttribute(mozilla::dom::Element* aElement,
                                  int32_t aNamespaceID,
                                  nsAtom* aAtom, void* aData);
   static void* UseExistingNameString(nsINode* aRootNode, const nsString* aName);
 
   void MaybeResolveReadyForIdle();
 
@@ -4247,19 +4246,22 @@ protected:
   std::bitset<mozilla::eUseCounter_Count> mChildDocumentUseCounters;
   // Flags for whether we've notified our top-level "page" of a use counter
   // for this child document.
   std::bitset<mozilla::eUseCounter_Count> mNotifiedPageForUseCounter;
 
   // Whether the user has interacted with the document or not:
   bool mUserHasInteracted;
 
-  // Whether the user has interacted with the document via some specific user
-  // gestures.
-  bool mUserHasActivatedInteraction;
+  // Whether the user has interacted with the document via a restricted
+  // set of gestures which are likely to be interaction with the document,
+  // and not events that are fired as a byproduct of the user interacting
+  // with the browser (events for like scrolling the page, keyboard short
+  // cuts, etc).
+  bool mUserGestureActivated;
 
   mozilla::TimeStamp mPageUnloadingEventTimeStamp;
 
   RefPtr<mozilla::dom::DocGroup> mDocGroup;
 
   // The set of all the tracking script URLs.  URLs are added to this set by
   // calling NoteScriptTrackingStatus().  Currently we assume that a URL not
   // existing in the set means the corresponding script isn't a tracking script.

--- a/dom/events/EventStateManager.cpp
+++ b/dom/events/EventStateManager.cpp
@@ -874,17 +874,17 @@ EventStateManager::NotifyTargetUserActiv
   }
 
   nsCOMPtr<nsINode> node = do_QueryInterface(aTargetContent);
   if (!node) {
     return;
   }
 
   nsIDocument* doc = node->OwnerDoc();
-  if (!doc || doc->HasBeenUserActivated()) {
+  if (!doc || doc->HasBeenUserGestureActivated()) {
     return;
   }
 
   // Don't activate if the target content of the event is contentEditable or
   // is inside an editable document, or is a text input control. Activating
   // due to typing/clicking on a text input would be surprising user experience.
   if (aTargetContent->IsEditable() ||
       IsTextInput(aTargetContent)) {
@@ -910,17 +910,17 @@ EventStateManager::NotifyTargetUserActiv
       IsEventOutsideDragThreshold(aEvent->AsTouchEvent())) {
     return;
   }
 
   MOZ_ASSERT(aEvent->mMessage == eKeyDown   ||
              aEvent->mMessage == eMouseDown ||
              aEvent->mMessage == ePointerDown ||
              aEvent->mMessage == eTouchEnd);
-  doc->NotifyUserActivation();
+  doc->NotifyUserGestureActivation();
 }
 
 already_AddRefed<EventStateManager>
 EventStateManager::ESMFromContentOrThis(nsIContent* aContent)
 {
   if (aContent) {
     nsIPresShell* shell = aContent->OwnerDoc()->GetShell();
     if (shell) {

--- a/dom/html/HTMLMediaElement.cpp
+++ b/dom/html/HTMLMediaElement.cpp
@@ -1991,17 +1991,17 @@ HTMLMediaElement::Load()
        !!mSrcAttrStream,
        HasAttr(kNameSpaceID_None, nsGkAtoms::src),
        HasSourceChildren(this),
        EventStateManager::IsHandlingUserInput(),
        HasAttr(kNameSpaceID_None, nsGkAtoms::autoplay),
        IsAllowedToPlay(),
        OwnerDoc(),
        DocumentOrigin(OwnerDoc()).get(),
-       OwnerDoc() ? OwnerDoc()->HasBeenUserActivated() : 0,
+       OwnerDoc() ? OwnerDoc()->HasBeenUserGestureActivated() : 0,
        mMuted,
        mVolume));
 
   if (mIsRunningLoadMethod) {
     return;
   }
 
   mIsDoingExplicitLoad = true;

--- a/dom/media/AutoplayPolicy.cpp
+++ b/dom/media/AutoplayPolicy.cpp
@@ -50,17 +50,17 @@ AutoplayPolicy::IsMediaElementAllowedToP
 
   // Whitelisted.
   if (nsContentUtils::IsExactSitePermAllow(
         aElement->NodePrincipal(), "autoplay-media")) {
     return true;
   }
 
   // Activated by user gesture.
-  if (aElement->OwnerDoc()->HasBeenUserActivated()) {
+  if (aElement->OwnerDoc()->HasBeenUserGestureActivated()) {
     return true;
   }
 
   return false;
 }
 
 /* static */ bool
 AutoplayPolicy::IsAudioContextAllowedToPlay(NotNull<AudioContext*> aContext)
@@ -96,17 +96,17 @@ AutoplayPolicy::IsAudioContextAllowedToP
 
   // Whitelisted.
   if (principal &&
       nsContentUtils::IsExactSitePermAllow(principal, "autoplay-media")) {
     return true;
   }
 
   // Activated by user gesture.
-  if (window->GetExtantDoc()->HasBeenUserActivated()) {
+  if (window->GetExtantDoc()->HasBeenUserGestureActivated()) {
     return true;
   }
 
   return false;
 }
 
 } // namespace dom
 } // namespace mozilla

--- a/dom/media/test/test_autoplay_policy_activation.html
+++ b/dom/media/test/test_autoplay_policy_activation.html
@@ -72,22 +72,22 @@
             muted: true,
             same_origin_child: false,
             activated_child: false,
             activated_parent: false,
             should_play: true,
           },
 
           {
-            name: "audible playback in unactivated cross-origin iframe in activated parent blocked",
+            name: "audible playback in unactivated cross-origin iframe in activated parent allowed",
             muted: false,
             same_origin_child: false,
             activated_child: false,
             activated_parent: true,
-            should_play: false,
+            should_play: true,
           },
 
           {
             name: "audible playback in unactivated cross-origin iframe in unactivated parent blocked",
             muted: false,
             same_origin_child: false,
             activated_child: false,
             activated_parent: false,

--- a/dom/webidl/Document.webidl
+++ b/dom/webidl/Document.webidl
@@ -467,17 +467,17 @@ partial interface Document {
 partial interface Document {
   [ChromeOnly] readonly attribute boolean userHasInteracted;
 };
 
 // Extension to give chrome JS the ability to simulate activate the docuement
 // by user gesture.
 partial interface Document {
   [ChromeOnly]
-  void notifyUserActivation();
+  void notifyUserGestureActivation();
 };
 
 // Extension to give chrome and XBL JS the ability to determine whether
 // the document is sandboxed without permission to run scripts
 // and whether inline scripts are blocked by the document's CSP.
 partial interface Document {
   [Func="IsChromeOrXBL"] readonly attribute boolean hasScriptsBlockedBySandbox;
   [Func="IsChromeOrXBL"] readonly attribute boolean inlineScriptAllowedByCSP;

--- a/toolkit/content/tests/browser/browser_autoplay_policy_iframe_hierarchy.js
+++ b/toolkit/content/tests/browser/browser_autoplay_policy_iframe_hierarchy.js
@@ -5,23 +5,19 @@
  * propagated to its parent and child frames.
  *
  * In this test, I use A/B/C to indicate different domain frames, and the number
  * after the name is which layer the frame is in.
  * Ex. A1 -> B2 -> A3,
  * Top frame and grandchild frame is in the domain A, and child frame is in the
  * domain B.
  *
- * Child frames could get permission if they have same origin as target frame's
- * Parent frames could get permission if they have same origin as target frame's
- * or the frame is in the top level.
- * Ex. A1 -> B2 -> B3,
- * A1 will always be activated no matter which level frame user activates with,
- * since it's in the top level.
- * B2/B3 will only be activated when user activates frame B2 or B3.
+ * Once any document in a tab is activated, all other documents in that tab
+ * should be considered activated, even if they're cross origin from the
+ * originally activated document.
  */
 const PAGE_A1_A2 = "https://example.com/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_two_layers_frame1.html";
 const PAGE_A1_B2 = "https://example.com/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_two_layers_frame2.html";
 const PAGE_A1_B2_C3 = "https://test1.example.org/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_three_layers_frame1.html";
 const PAGE_A1_B2_A3 = "https://example.org/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_three_layers_frame1.html";
 const PAGE_A1_B2_B3 = "https://example.org/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_three_layers_frame2.html";
 const PAGE_A1_A2_A3 = "https://example.com/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_three_layers_frame2.html";
 const PAGE_A1_A2_B3 = "https://example.com/browser/toolkit/content/tests/browser/file_autoplay_three_layers_frame1.html";
@@ -75,72 +71,40 @@ async function test_permission_propagati
       info(`- activate frame in layer ${layerIdx} (${testInfo[1]}) -`);
       let doc;
       if (layerIdx == 1) {
         doc = content.document;
       } else {
         doc = layerIdx == 2 ? content.frames[0].document :
                               content.frames[0].frames[0].document;
       }
-      doc.notifyUserActivation();
+      doc.notifyUserGestureActivation();
     }
     await ContentTask.spawn(tab.linkedBrowser, [layerIdx, testName],
                             activate_frame);
 
-    // If frame is activated, the video play will succeed.
+    // If frame is activated, the video play will succeed, as interaction
+    // anywhere in the frame activates the entire doctree, irrespective
+    // of whether the documents are cross origin or not.
     async function playing_video_may_success(testInfo) {
-      let activeLayerIdx = testInfo[0];
-      let testName = testInfo[1];
       let layersNum = testInfo[2];
       for (let layerIdx = 1; layerIdx <= layersNum; layerIdx++) {
         let doc;
         if (layerIdx == 1) {
           doc = content.document;
         } else {
           doc = layerIdx == 2 ? content.frames[0].document :
                                 content.frames[0].frames[0].document;
         }
         let video = doc.getElementById("v");
-        let shouldSuccess = false;
-        let isActiveLayer = layerIdx == activeLayerIdx;
-        switch (testName) {
-          case "A1_A2":
-          case "A1_A2_A3":
-            // always success to play.
-            shouldSuccess = true;
-            break;
-          case "A1_B2":
-            shouldSuccess = layerIdx == 1 ||
-                            (layerIdx == 2 && isActiveLayer);
-            break;
-          case "A1_B2_C3":
-            shouldSuccess = layerIdx == 1 ||
-                            (layerIdx >= 2 && isActiveLayer);
-            break;
-          case "A1_B2_A3":
-            shouldSuccess = layerIdx != 2 ||
-                            (layerIdx == 2 && isActiveLayer);
-            break;
-          case "A1_B2_B3":
-            shouldSuccess = layerIdx == 1 ||
-                            (layerIdx >= 2 && activeLayerIdx != 1);
-            break;
-          case "A1_A2_B3":
-            shouldSuccess = layerIdx <= 2 ||
-                            (layerIdx == 3 && isActiveLayer);
-            break;
-          default:
-            ok(false, "wrong test name.");
-            break;
-        }
         try {
           await video.play();
-          ok(shouldSuccess, `video in layer ${layerIdx} starts playing.`);
+          ok(true, `video in layer ${layerIdx} starts playing.`);
         } catch (e) {
-          ok(!shouldSuccess, `video in layer ${layerIdx} fails to start.`);
+          ok(false, `video in layer ${layerIdx} fails to start.`);
         }
       }
     }
     await ContentTask.spawn(tab.linkedBrowser,
                             [layerIdx, testName, layersNum],
                             playing_video_may_success);
 
     info("- remove tab -");