MetaMask Introduces Social Login. A Lean Towards Web2?

Non-custodial crypto wallet provider MetaMask has introduced a new feature that simplifies the process of creating and restoring accounts. Dubbed the Social login, MetaMask has opened its doors for users to open accounts using their Google or Apple ID. Still, this feature questions MetaMask’s status as a fully fledged Web3 platform.

The Social Login

Traditionally, non-custodial crypto wallets generate a 12-word or 24-word secret recovery phrase (SRP), which makes up the user’s private key. Next, the user must safeguard the seed phrases offline, either on a piece of paper or in another secure location. The goal is to give users complete control over their funds. Not even a crypto wallet provider, such as MetaMask, can access the digital assets within the wallet.

The challenge with this procedure is that users may experience cases where malicious actors steal the paper holding their SRP. Natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes, can cause users to lose their seed phrases, thereby losing access to their entire assets.

By bringing social login into the picture, MetaMask enables its users to explore an alternative method for creating non-custodial wallet accounts. After creating an account using a Google or Apple ID, the user sets a password that grants access to their account.

With this setup, users can recover their accounts if they misplace their existing device or want to log in to another device. The wallet provider issued a warning that users must safeguard their passwords, as failure to do so will result in the loss of their funds.

A Lean Towards Web2?

While MetaMask’s new feature makes crypto onboarding easier for “normies,” it raises the question of whether the platform is leaning towards Web2.

It is typical of Web2 platforms to allow users to create accounts using email addresses and passwords, a move that puts users at the mercy of the platforms they registered with. Still, MetaMask clarifies the matter when it said:

“No single entity, not even MetaMask, can access all of the pieces needed in order to retrieve your SRP, preserving the self-custodial nature of your wallet. Only your social credentials combined with your unique password can ultimately unlock the SRP on a local device.”

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