Leading Crypto Wallet MetaMask Reveals it Collects User Data, Faces Backlash From Community
Major Ethereum (ETH)-focused blockchain company ConsenSys updated its privacy policy on Wednesday, stating that the popular crypto wallet MetaMask will be collecting certain user data - much to the dissatisfaction of the privacy-loving community. The wallet co-founder, however, said that this can be "fixed soon."
On November 23, ConsenSys published an update of its privacy policy, which describes how the company "collects, uses, shares, and stores personal information of users of its websites," which include consensys.net, metamask.io, infura.io, consensys.net/quorum, diligence.consensys.net, and codefi.consensys.net.
A section of the post goes into describing information collected by Infura, which is the default Remote Procedure Call (RPC) provider in MetaMask. The company stated that,
"When you use Infura as your default RPC provider in MetaMask, Infura will collect your IP address and your Ethereum wallet address when you send a transaction."
Infura is a tooling suite used to create applications that connect to the Ethereum network. Both Infura and MetaMask are owned by ConsenSys.
RPCs allow communications with servers remotely, and they provide the execution of programs in a separate location. In blockchain terms, RPCs allow access to a server node on the specified network and enable users to communicate and interact with that blockchain.
There is a way, however, for neither of these two products to collect information, though this option too may come with privacy-related risks.
ConsenSys wrote that,
"If you’re using your own Ethereum node or a third-party RPC provider with MetaMask, then neither Infura nor MetaMask will collect your IP address or Ethereum wallet address (but you should be aware your information will be
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