Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Continuing my earlier and similar thread, is this what is happening overall? Rather a lot of links if you do wish to read them all but these were the result of just random searches on the subject. However, taking them individually or all together see what conclusion you come to:


Banks are closing at an alarming rate:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44483304


ATMs are also disappearing. These are one of few remaining alternatives for getting cash on closure of banks, another is the Post Office or Building Society. ‘Cash Back’ (usually maximum £50) at supermarkets is another:

https://www.itv.com/news/2018-06-29/...y-month-which/


Following many closures of bank branches, more and more ATMs are now charging you to withdraw your own money!

https://www.itv.com/news/2019-05-01/...ch-says-which/


Cards issued now are automatically ‘Contactless’:

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...ions-have.html


Look at how easy it is being made to pay other than using cash:

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/be...le-payment-app


Finally, the view of an organisation I hadn’t actually heard of but appears to sum up an overall view of what is happening, asking what happens next?

https://qz.com/1553642/britain-is-go...-happens-next/


Call me cynical if you wish but to me this is an insidious manipulation of us all into a cashless society. Those people who are ‘technology averse’ do have the choice but how are people who genuinely struggle with new technology going to manage their lives?

Has technology become just another way organisations can make more and more profit from us with less staff and less expensive buildings to maintain?

What are your comments on this?

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Yes I think you are right. It’s easier for businesses and YES the bottom line is that it’s always been about money and still is.

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Don't think the existence of Cash is the nub of it, at the moment to get a profile of your total spending habits is a fragmented process, an organization theoretically would have to join up the spending on various debit/credit/ store loyalty cards, cash being the thorn in the side. All spending recorded on one device could have connotations further down the line.

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Banks here are closing. The one I bank at has closed all branches near me. Our nearest is now 20 miles away. It isn't good.
Having said that cash will always be needed, for car boot sales, flea markets & fairs. OK some will & do take cards, at fairs & markets, but the casual once or twice sellers or in the case of car boots, everyone getting rid of unwanted stuff, they will always need cash. I can't see any of those stopping for a very long time. They are after all helping the planet by recycling items they no longer want to people who do want & can use them.

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

One day there will be no cash, my Dad gets worried that this is going to happen. He's old school and doesn't like things to change but obviously it's inevitable. It's a bit like when we went Decimal in the 70s, I remember back then thinking how awful it must be for the elderly to grasp.

Personally I never use the contactless, I hate it.

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

That's me too, unless it's really necessary like twice recently when my debit card refused to work in a supermarket card machine. The first time the checkout chap just asked if my card was contactless. I had no idea that it was but as the purchase was below £30 I gave it a try and it worked. The same problem the next week, oddly enough in the same supermarket.

I guess it's useful in cases such as those but I would prefer not to use it for various reasons.

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Or we could all be Luddites.....

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

I also posted on this subject some time ago,
I share your suspicions also BAZ!
But l also suspect that governments also have a hand in
this as well, l think they are in collusion with financial
institutions to bring this about, the reason being that in
times of civil unrest it would give them a way of quelling
any unrest by cutting of sopplies of money very quickly!
And because people have been starved of cash they would
not have any reserves hidden under the bed!
l think the moves by the banks should be resisted and they
should be compelled to drop their plans for these changes
We must pressure our MPs on this once we get brexit
sorted, it is definately a trend driven by banks for whatever
reasons!
It is certainly going to disempower the ordinary people, not
only here but worldwide.
I have discussed this with several people, but they only seem
to think about the convenience of such a system to them
personally and not of the dangers and inconvenience to others
this especially so the younger they are!

Regards Donkeyman!

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

Not here thank you very much, "I'm the only Luddite in the Village".

Re: Are we being manipulated (forced) into a cashless society?

My apologies to yourself and others for yet another thread on this, I didn't realise yourself and others had also been posting on this subject. Possibly as I hadn't been posting myself from what I can see of the dates on previous threads.

Thanks though for the shared suspicions.