--- a/chrome/browser/about_flags.cc
+++ b/chrome/browser/about_flags.cc
@@ -1225,6 +1225,11 @@ const FeatureEntry::FeatureVariation kSi
 //
 // When adding a new choice, add it to the end of the list.
 const FeatureEntry kFeatureEntries[] = {
+    {"enable-metrics",
+     "Record metrics",
+     "Record histograms and user actions.",
+     kOsAll, SINGLE_VALUE_TYPE("enable-metrics")},
+
     {"ignore-gpu-blacklist", flag_descriptions::kIgnoreGpuBlacklistName,
      flag_descriptions::kIgnoreGpuBlacklistDescription, kOsAll,
      SINGLE_VALUE_TYPE(switches::kIgnoreGpuBlacklist)},
--- a/base/BUILD.gn
+++ b/base/BUILD.gn
@@ -575,6 +575,8 @@ jumbo_component("base") {
     "message_loop/watchable_io_message_pump_posix.h",
     "metrics/bucket_ranges.cc",
     "metrics/bucket_ranges.h",
+    "metrics/command_line_handler.cc",
+    "metrics/command_line_handler.h",
     "metrics/dummy_histogram.cc",
     "metrics/dummy_histogram.h",
     "metrics/field_trial.cc",
--- a/tools/gn/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
+++ b/tools/gn/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ def write_gn_ninja(path, root_gen_dir, o
       'base/message_loop/message_pump_default.cc',
       'base/message_loop/watchable_io_message_pump_posix.cc',
       'base/metrics/bucket_ranges.cc',
+      'base/metrics/command_line_handler.cc',
       'base/metrics/dummy_histogram.cc',
       'base/metrics/field_trial.cc',
       'base/metrics/field_trial_param_associator.cc',
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/metrics/command_line_handler.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#include "base/metrics/command_line_handler.h"
+
+#include "base/command_line.h"
+
+namespace base {
+
+bool MetricsEnabled() {
+  return base::CommandLine::ForCurrentProcess()->HasSwitch("enable-metrics");
+}
+
+}  // namespace base
--- /dev/null
+++ b/base/metrics/command_line_handler.h
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#ifndef BASE_METRICS_COMMAND_LINE_HANDLER_H_
+#define BASE_METRICS_COMMAND_LINE_HANDLER_H_
+
+namespace base {
+
+// Checks the command-line flag 'enable-metrics'.
+bool MetricsEnabled();
+
+}  // namespace base
+
+#endif  // BASE_METRICS_COMMAND_LINE_HANDLER_H_
--- a/components/metrics/expired_histograms_checker.cc
+++ b/components/metrics/expired_histograms_checker.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
+#include "base/metrics/command_line_handler.h"
 #include "components/metrics/expired_histograms_checker.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ ExpiredHistogramsChecker::ExpiredHistogr
 ExpiredHistogramsChecker::~ExpiredHistogramsChecker() {}
 
 bool ExpiredHistogramsChecker::ShouldRecord(uint64_t histogram_hash) const {
+  if (!base::MetricsEnabled())
+    return false;
+
   return !std::binary_search(array_, array_ + size_, histogram_hash);
 }
 
--- a/base/metrics/user_metrics.cc
+++ b/base/metrics/user_metrics.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
+#include "base/metrics/command_line_handler.h"
 #include "base/metrics/user_metrics.h"
 
 #include <stddef.h>
@@ -25,10 +26,16 @@ LazyInstance<scoped_refptr<SingleThreadT
 }  // namespace
 
 void RecordAction(const UserMetricsAction& action) {
+  if (!MetricsEnabled())
+    return;
+
   RecordComputedAction(action.str_);
 }
 
 void RecordComputedAction(const std::string& action) {
+  if (!MetricsEnabled())
+    return;
+
   if (!g_task_runner.Get()) {
     DCHECK(g_callbacks.Get().empty());
     return;
@@ -46,6 +53,9 @@ void RecordComputedAction(const std::str
 }
 
 void AddActionCallback(const ActionCallback& callback) {
+  if (!MetricsEnabled())
+    return;
+
   // Only allow adding a callback if the task runner is set.
   DCHECK(g_task_runner.Get());
   DCHECK(g_task_runner.Get()->BelongsToCurrentThread());
--- a/chrome/browser/ui/tab_helpers.cc
+++ b/chrome/browser/ui/tab_helpers.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <utility>
 
 #include "base/command_line.h"
+#include "base/metrics/command_line_handler.h"
 #include "base/feature_list.h"
 #include "base/time/default_tick_clock.h"
 #include "build/build_config.h"
@@ -204,8 +205,10 @@ void TabHelpers::AttachTabHelpers(WebCon
   ClientHintsObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   ConnectionHelpTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   CoreTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
-  data_use_measurement::DataUseWebContentsObserver::CreateForWebContents(
-      web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    data_use_measurement::DataUseWebContentsObserver::CreateForWebContents(
+        web_contents);
+  }
   ExternalProtocolObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   favicon::CreateContentFaviconDriverForWebContents(web_contents);
   FindTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
@@ -220,13 +223,19 @@ void TabHelpers::AttachTabHelpers(WebCon
   HistoryTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   InfoBarService::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   InstallableManager::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
-  metrics::RendererUptimeWebContentsObserver::CreateForWebContents(
-      web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    metrics::RendererUptimeWebContentsObserver::CreateForWebContents(
+        web_contents);
+  }
   MixedContentSettingsTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   NavigationCorrectionTabObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
-  NavigationMetricsRecorder::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    NavigationMetricsRecorder::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
+  }
   OutOfMemoryReporter::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
-  chrome::InitializePageLoadMetricsForWebContents(web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    chrome::InitializePageLoadMetricsForWebContents(web_contents);
+  }
   PDFPluginPlaceholderObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   PermissionRequestManager::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   // The PopupBlockerTabHelper has an implicit dependency on
@@ -251,7 +260,9 @@ void TabHelpers::AttachTabHelpers(WebCon
   // is taken over by ChromeContentSettingsClient. http://crbug.com/387075
   TabSpecificContentSettings::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
   TabUIHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
-  ukm::InitializeSourceUrlRecorderForWebContents(web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    ukm::InitializeSourceUrlRecorderForWebContents(web_contents);
+  }
   vr::VrTabHelper::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
 
   // NO! Do not just add your tab helper here. This is a large alphabetized
@@ -297,7 +308,9 @@ void TabHelpers::AttachTabHelpers(WebCon
 
 #if defined(OS_WIN) || defined(OS_MACOSX) || \
     (defined(OS_LINUX) && !defined(OS_CHROMEOS))
-  metrics::DesktopSessionDurationObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
+  if (base::MetricsEnabled()) {
+    metrics::DesktopSessionDurationObserver::CreateForWebContents(web_contents);
+  }
 #endif
 
 // --- Feature tab helpers behind flags ---
--- a/chrome/browser/metrics/chrome_metrics_service_client.cc
+++ b/chrome/browser/metrics/chrome_metrics_service_client.cc
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "base/files/file_util.h"
 #include "base/lazy_instance.h"
 #include "base/logging.h"
+#include "base/metrics/command_line_handler.h"
 #include "base/metrics/field_trial_params.h"
 #include "base/metrics/histogram_macros.h"
 #include "base/metrics/persistent_histogram_allocator.h"
@@ -599,6 +600,9 @@ void ChromeMetricsServiceClient::Initial
 }
 
 void ChromeMetricsServiceClient::RegisterMetricsServiceProviders() {
+  if (!base::MetricsEnabled())
+    return;
+
   PrefService* local_state = g_browser_process->local_state();
 
   // Gets access to persistent metrics shared by sub-processes.