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Consent in XMTP

Understand consent

Consent in XMTP manages who can message you across all apps you use:

For direct messages, it's about who you allow and who you block:

  • Allow certain addresses to message you
  • Block addresses you don't want to hear from

For group chats, it's about which groups you want to participate in:

  • Join the group to receive its messages
  • Block to stop receiving messages from the group

In both cases, new messages and invites stay in your message requests until you make a decision.

Privacy-first design

Your choices about who can message you are private. This means:

  • Only you can see who you've allowed or blocked
  • Your choices are encrypted and visible only to you
  • No one else can see your messaging preferences
  • Blocked users don't know they're blocked

How consent works

The XMTP network maintains three private states for each potential messaging relationship:

pub enum ConsentState {
    Unknown,    // Default state for new contacts
    Allowed,    // Contacts you've allowed
    Denied,     // Contacts you've blocked
}

When you receive a new message, it appears in your message requests. Apps typically show:

  • Main inbox: Messages from allowed addresses and joined groups
  • Message requests: New messages and invites you haven't decided about
  • Hidden: Messages from blocked addresses and groups

FAQ

If I block someone, will they know?

No, blocked users aren't notified of their status. From their perspective, it appears the same as if you haven't responded to their message.

Can I revoke consent after granting it?

Yes, you can always privately revoke consent. The other party won't be notified, but you'll no longer see their messages.

What happens if someone I blocked is in a group chat with me?

Apps typically show you that the blocked user sent a message but protect you from its content with a "tap to unhide" option. However, the exact UI implementation may vary by app.

Does blocking someone remove our message history?

No, blocking only affects new messages. Previous conversations remain in your app but may be hidden from view depending on the app's design.

What happens when someone messages me from a different wallet than before?

Each wallet address is treated separately for consent purposes. If someone messages you from a new address, that message will appear in your message requests, even if you've allowed their other address.

Can I mute conversations?

No. Currently, you cannot mute conversations.

To learn about future plans to add muting capabilities to the protocol, see The future of consent.