MetaMask, the major Ethereum browser extension and wallet service, has something to celebrate as 2020 kicks off. It is notifying its users that Google Play has now reversed its short-lived ban on the browser add-on. The MetaMask team use Twitter to reveal the news and says

Upon careful consideration, Google permits the mobile app back on the Google Play! Thanks to all the believers in an open web for speaking out in our support!

Google Mistook MetaMask for a Mining App

First, MetaMask is a browser extension for Google Chrome that includes a built-in crypto wallet enabling to run Ethereum-based decentralized applications of DApps. It doesn’t need to operate a full Ethereum node in the first place. But Google’s u-turn comes just a week after it had suspended it on the Google Play App Store. The tweet cites that its policy against apps that mine cryptocurrency on mobile devices which notably doesn’t pertain to MetaMask.

MetaMask tweets the news of the ban on 27th December 2019, adding that its appeal had been rejected by Google Play. However, the company thanked its users for having suggested alternative distribution methods during the Google blacklisting. The tweet says that the experience has made MetaMask more resilient. And the team is stronger for enduring it as a community.

Team Pressures

A MetaMask contributor reports in late December that the team is totally overwhelmed and isn’t being adequately supported by its parent firm ConsenSys. Furthermore, the contributor claims that the MetaMask team’s workflow was neither transparent nor decentralize. Also, the contributor alleges that the project’s code was of low quality, full of technical debt.

To illustrate, MetaMask employee Daniel Finlay disproves what he characterized as the inflammatory and alarmist tone of someone who wasn’t a full-fledged team member. Though he conceded the accuracy of some of the contributor’s criticisms – particularly in regards to the project’s code.

In his rebuttal, Finlay added that this ethereum browser extension was incredibly grateful to ConsenSys and Joe for its support of the project.

Winter Censorship

Alongside Google, YouTube was last month in the center of a crypto-related censorship controversy – one that it then swiftly backtracked on admitting the mistake.

The company releases its beta version in July 24, 2019!