Blockchain technology firm ConsenSys accepts data collection by metamask users
ConsenSys reveals that…….
The blockchain software technology company behind the Ethereum merger, ConsenSys, said it collects IP addresses and other information about Metamask wallet users via a blockchain infrastructure service known as “Infura.”
According to the official ConsenSys website, they are updating their privacy policy section, which states what information they collect from their users. The data they collect is identity information, contact information, profile information, feedback and correspondence, financial information, transaction information, usage information, marketing information, technical information and much more.
Both Metamask and Infura are owned by ConsenSys. Infura monitors blockchain nodes on the side of individuals and wallets. It bills itself as the world’s most powerful suite of high-availability blockchain APIs and developer tools.
Infura is the default provider of Remote Procedure Call (RPC) in Metamask. When someone uses Infura as the default RPC provider in the Metamask, it will collect the respective IP address and Ethereum wallet address when someone processes a transaction.
Why, what $ What not?
ConsenSys stated-
“However, if you use your own Ethereum node or a third-party RPC provider with MetaMask, neither Infura nor MetaMask will collect your IP address or your Ethereum wallet address (but you should be aware that your information will be subject to which preferably information collection performed by the RPC provider you use and their terms for such collection).”
The decision by ConsenSys is not the same for everyone, as it collects both off-chain data such as IP addresses, and on-chain data, such as transaction information and blockchain addresses, can be beneficial to legitimate identity users as well as fraudsters. But on the other hand, it reduces the privacy level of the network.
In a blog post on November 24, ConsenSys states-
“The policy updates do not result in more intrusive data collection or data processing, and were not made in response to any regulatory changes or requests. Our policy has always stated that certain information is collected automatically about how users use our websites, and that this information may include IP addresses.”
That same day, Dan Finlay, founder of Metamask, tweeted: “I think we can fix this soon. We don’t use IP addresses even if they are temporarily stored, which they don’t need to be, since we don’t use them for anything.”
Founder and CEO of ConsenSys, Joseph Lubin, played an important role in the Ethereum merger. On September 14, 2022, he said in an interview with Bloomberg that the event will be “hugely impactful” for the entire crypto industry.
