Cashless society

cross-posted from: https://fedia.io/m/Brussels/t/396147

Vivaqua removed their cash machine and now refuses cash. So indeed: being able to get access to water service in #Brussels is now contingent on being accepted by the bank and agreeing to use banking services.

#corporateDisobedience

cross-posted from: https://links.hackliberty.org/post/125466

My credit card issuer apparently never gets to know what I purchased at stores, cafes, & restaurants -- and rightfully so. The statement just shows the shop name, location, and amount.

Exceptionally, if I purchase airfare the bank statement discloses:

• airline who sold the ticket
• carrier
• passenger name
• ticket number
• city pairs

So that’s a disturbing over-share. In some cases the airline is a European flag carrier, so IIUC the GDPR applies, correct? Doesn’t this violate the data minimization principle?

Airlines no longer accept cash, which is also quite disturbing (and illegal in jurisdictions where legal tender must be accepted when presented for PoS transactions).

Has anyone switched to using a travel agent just to be able to pay cash for airfare?

UPDATE

A relatively convincing theory has been suggested in this other cross-posted community:

https://links.hackliberty.org/comment/414338

Apparently it’s because credit cards offer travel insurance & airlines have incentive to have another insurer involved. Would be useful if this were documented somewhere in a less refutable form.

cross-posted from: https://links.hackliberty.org/post/86319

The #warOnCash inspires a search for a bank that issues Discovercard (or Diner’s Club) debit cards. The reason:

• Visa & Mastercard are members of the Better Than Cash Alliance & aggressively fighting the anti-side of the war on cash.
• American Express is an ALEC member (thus supports right-wing politicians).

Obviously it makes sense to use cash whenever possible. But in those situations where cash is impossible, I would favor Discovercard because it’s the lesser of evils. The problem is Discovercard is like #AmEx: they both control the payment network AND have customer details. Too much info in one place for data leeches. I prefer separation. There used to be several 3rd-party Discover debit cards, but AFAIK they’re all gone. These are the old options:

• (Maryland) https://www.oldlinebank.com/personal/overview/
• (Florida) https://cadencebank.com/personal/personal-debit-cards <= no mention of "Discover debit", but this page confirms: https://www.discoverdebit.com/article/cadence-case-study
• (Kentucky, but available nationwide) cfsbky.com ← looks like mastercard now?
• (Texas) https://www.thebankandtrust.com/personal/discover-consumer-card/ ← tor-hostile
• (PA) https://www.jbt.bank/personal-banking/discover-debit-card/ ← tor-hostile
• (WI) https://www.guardiancu.org/personal-banking/checking-accounts/debit-cards/ ← tor-hostile
• (IL, but available nationwide) https://www.oldsecond.com/personal-banking/card-services/ <= said Discover Debit no longer offered but that they have a Discover CC (yet I don't find it online)

If the bank has become tor-hostile i don’t even check. Anyway, if anyone knows of any banks or credit unions offering Discover debit cards please reply.

The man in this video is a rather controversial political figure, and this video received quite a mixed response.

But, putting that aside, I thought this would be a good video to open the community with because it showcases the transition to a cashless society and the urge of some of us to fight against it.