diff --git a/synapse/config/tracer.py b/synapse/config/tracer.py
index dac37a4e4a..b948317edc 100644
--- a/synapse/config/tracer.py
+++ b/synapse/config/tracer.py
@@ -35,11 +35,8 @@ class TracerConfig(Config):
         if self.tracer_config.get("tracer_enabled", False):
             # The tracer is enabled so sanitize the config
             # If no whitelists are given
-            self.tracer_config.setdefault("user_whitelist", ["*"])
             self.tracer_config.setdefault("homeserver_whitelist", ["*"])
 
-            if type(self.tracer_config.get("user_whitelist")) != list:
-                raise RuntimeError("Tracer user_whitelist config is malformed")
             if type(self.tracer_config.get("homeserver_whitelist")) != list:
                 raise RuntimeError("Tracer homesererver_whitelist config is malformed")
 
@@ -50,10 +47,6 @@ class TracerConfig(Config):
         #opentracing:
         #  # Enable / disable tracer
         #  tracer_enabled: false
-        #  # The list of users who's requests will be traced
-        #  # The list is a list of regex which is matched against the user_id
-        #  user_whitelist:
-        #    - "*"
         #  # The list of homeservers we wish to trace across
         #  # The list is a list of regex which is matched against the homeserver name
         #  homeserver_whitelist:
diff --git a/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py b/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
index abcabf0fca..dd226df272 100644
--- a/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
+++ b/synapse/util/scopecontextmanager.py
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 class LogContextScopeManager(ScopeManager):
 
     _homeserver_whitelist = ["*"]
-    _user_whitelist = ["*"]
 
     def __init__(self, config):
         # Set the whitelists
         logger.info(config.tracer_config)
         self._homeserver_whitelist = config.tracer_config["homeserver_whitelist"]
-        self._user_whitelist = config.tracer_config["user_whitelist"]
 
     @property
     def active(self):
@@ -86,9 +84,6 @@ class LogContextScopeManager(ScopeManager):
     def request_from_whitelisted_homeserver(self, request):
         pass
 
-    def user_whitelisted(self, request):
-        pass
-
 
 class _LogContextScope(Scope):
     def __init__(self, manager, span, logcontext, enter_logcontext, finish_on_close):