2025-12-24 17:26:38

The key to privacy protection is not whether there is a privacy feature, but whether the privacy mechanism is integrated into the system's core logic.

Take Zcash as an example. To hide transaction information, users must actively enable the shielded mode. It sounds flexible, but the problem is—most users find it either too troublesome or are unaware of this feature, so they default to transparent transactions.

This illustrates a phenomenon: no matter how well-designed a privacy option is, if it is not enabled by default, user behavior will ultimately marginalize it. From the perspective of privacy coins, this affects the privacy properties of the entire chain. Therefore, how privacy policies are designed and where default settings are placed are crucial details that determine the actual effectiveness.

ZEC7.64%

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

6 Likes

Reward
6
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

DegenWhisperer

· 3h ago

Basically, it's the lazy mindset in product design—set default values, and users become lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

View OriginalReply0

GasWaster

· 3h ago

ngl, this is just zcash admitting they shipped a product with privacy as an afterthought... defaults matter fr fr. it's like leaving your failed txs on mainnet when you could've optimized on arbitrum—nobody does the extra work, they just bleeding out gwei.

Reply0

FloorSweeper

· 3h ago

nah this is the real alpha leak right here... zcash's opt-in privacy is basically just security theater for normies lol. default behavior wins every time, that's market psychology 101

Reply0

BtcDailyResearcher

· 3h ago

That's why Monero has had full-chain privacy from the very beginning, while Zcash's opt-in approach has never been a solution... Default settings truly make all the difference, and no amount of discussion will change that.

View OriginalReply0

GateUser-4745f9ce

· 4h ago

That's right, the default setting is the decisive factor, and users simply won't bother to tinker with it. --- Zcash is a textbook example of a failed approach; opt-in is destined to become a decoration. --- So Monero's approach is smarter; privacy is the default configuration, there's no choice at all. --- Honestly, even the most attractive features placed in a secondary menu are essentially useless; the same applies to exchanges. --- Out of a hundred users, having three actively enable privacy is already good; don't overestimate people's desire to tinker. --- This is the contradiction between product design and cryptography. Just focusing on technology isn't enough; it has to allow lazy users to automatically enjoy privacy. --- Default activation is a detail that’s somewhat outrageous; it's almost the same as directly disabling this feature.

View OriginalReply0

MEVHunterZhang

· 4h ago

Well said, defaults really determine everything. Zcash's opt-in logic is a textbook example of the opposite approach. --- No matter how beautiful the privacy features are, users simply aren't willing to bother. --- Default transparent transactions make Zcash's privacy coin attributes essentially meaningless. --- Got it, so true privacy protection must be built into the architecture from the ground up; we can't rely on users to actively choose it. --- That's why Monero doesn't even offer an option—every transaction defaults to privacy. The design philosophy is completely different. --- Key insight: users are generally lazy, so we can't expect them to enable advanced features. --- Defaults are justice; this phrase is especially fitting when it comes to privacy issues.

View OriginalReply0