Article: "As trust in digital systems plummets, cash is back"
I wrote two posts last week about the perils of businesses going totally digital - these posts related to a local tourist attraction from which a refund was requested but minutes after a friend purchased an annual pass for my up-and-coming birthday.
After paying at one kiosk, we were directed to another to collect our passes, at which time we were told that all passes are now being issued as an app that could be downloaded to our phone.
Not wishing to have an app, I requested a refund for my pass.
Later that evening, quite by chance, I met a local businessman who has an IT business. He looked very stressed.
He told me that he had experienced several awful days.
Hosting many businesses through a series of servers, one of his servers had gone down due to a cyber-attack - it was serious. Major!
Begs the question as to what happens when systems go down!
How do businesses conduct their business?
When tills cannot be opened, how do we pay?
If medical records cannot be checked and medicines dispensed - how are people to manage?
What of people’s confidential information - how safe is it?
Locally - over the last few weeks, we have seen petrol forecourts rendered useless because of pump system failure...Shops unable to open in a major shopping centre because systems were down and a health food shop unable to take credit cards, the assistant asking for cash.
If we go completely digital, I believe that chaos will ensue.
I also believe that we are being put in vulnerable situations 'at' and 'on' many levels if we are 'forced' to have all our details on systems that we have no control over - rather like leaving the house with the door wide open.
We need cash and we need choice as to who has our personal details and how they use it.
We are told it’s safe to do internet banking and our private information is safe when we hand it over to others for contracts, purchases, etc - however, I do not believe this to be so.
Our details are sold and can be easily stolen.
Those who would have us go down this very slippery slope say there is no problem.
I say, tell that to my friend who just experienced a cyber-attack; tell it to those who have had their bank accounts emptied; tell it to those who have had their identity stolen.
Surely no government, people or society would be so stupid as to leave themselves so utterly vulnerable.
Let us keep the choices open for those who want to go digital to do so and those who don't to have an alternative.
If you want digital currency - go ahead, remembering that many still want to use cash.
Attached article covers this matter well!
https://lnkd.in/diUJSZYs
Product and Strategy Consulting, Card Nerdiness
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