Metamask, the web3 wallet app, has introduced a number of new features aimed at improving privacy and giving users more control, according to a developer blog post published on March 14. The new features come after Metamask was criticized for its alleged intrusion into users’ privacy.
MetaMask Mobile v6 is now available to everyone! Our biggest release yet fixes issues around slow load times and provides a new and improved UX that gives users more control over their funds and digital identities.
Upgrade to the latest version todayhttps://t.co/tGtA4GUXR1
— MetaMask (@MetaMask) March 14, 2023
Previously, Metamask used its Infura RPC node to connect to Ethereum automatically, every time a user first set up their wallet. Although the user could change the settings later, this meant that the user’s public address was transmitted to Infura before it had a chance to switch its node, according to a report from the Ethereum node operator; Chase Wright.
Infura is owned by Metamask’s parent company, Consensys.
In the new version of the Metamask extension, named “10.25.0”, users are given the option to use “advanced settings” during installation. Choosing this option brings up a number of options that can be configured, including one that allows the user to choose an RPC node other than the default Infura node.
In addition to allowing the user to enter their own node details, the “advanced settings” dialog also allows you to disable incoming transactions, phishing detection, and enhanced token detection. These features require sending data to third parties such as Etherscan and jsDeliver, depending on the application’s UI. Privacy-conscious users can disable these features during setup if they wish.
According to the post, the new mobile version of Metamask also includes privacy improvements. Previously, the application did not allow users to connect one account to a Web3 application while leaving another account disconnected. The user only had the option of connecting all or none of them.
However, the new version allows users to select which specific accounts they want to connect to an app, without revealing the other addresses they control.
In its post, Metamask states that it has always been intent on preserving user privacy and that it believes that these new features align with these values, stating:
“Data breaches go against MetaMask’s core values. Rather, we believe in empowering our community with the founding principles that guide our development: real property and privacy[…] We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users so that you are not, and ultimately cannot be exploited by another centralized entity.”
On November 23, Metamask was heavily criticized in the crypto community for posting a privacy policy that claimed that it would collect users’ IP addresses. Consensys responded to the criticism on November 24 by saying that RPC nodes have always collected IP addresses and that the content of the privacy policy was not new, although the language used in it had changed. On December 6, Consensys announced that IP addresses collected through Infura would no longer be stored for more than 7 days.
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