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Google Pay alternative? (lemmy.world)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

4 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/15358017

Google Pay alternative?

Hey there, I'm looking for an alternative to Google pay that'll allow me to use NFC payments etc. Thoughts?

I don't have a Google account, nor am I interested in opening one.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

There are alternatives, but if your concern is privacy, you won't like them either. Apple. Samsung, Venmo, PayPal, etc. You will have to trust some third party who probably doesn't deserve it.

Crypto was supposed to be the open-source payment method that was totally trustless, but then the tech bros decided they liked Lambos more, and now it is a store of value that people are encouraged to hoard, and not spend. (The worst thing that ever happened to crypto was for the price to go up.)

I think the most private NFC payment method right now is an NFC-enabled physical credit card. It keeps more of your financial life away from the other spies in your pocket. That doesn't keep your credit card provider from selling your info, but they would do that regardless of whether the card is in your phone or not.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I think key to my privacy model is that I run microG, so most info isn't going to Google anyway. Firefox+add-ons takes care of enough of the remaining trackers etc so that I feel comfortable.

This particular search is my attempt to regain a bit of the convenience I've lost in the process of gaining a lot of privacy; I'm ok with doing things the 'slow' way, but curious to see if there's a way to get some modern nicities without losing much (ideally any) privacy.

Thanks for your response, I've gotten great feedback from everyone so far, unfortunately looks like the anti-pattern is particularly & purposefully strong here in the payment and NFC interaction realm.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago

the alternatives are worse

i'd rather go back to barter than using paypal, for example

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

A contactless card in the back of your phone case?

Note - The above answer doesn't take in where you're from since you didn't state so and I imagine there's plenty of places that can't simply do that but....even though I could?

I personally won't bring my C&P / contactless card out of the house unless necessary since it allows would-be finders instant access to withdrawals from my bank account, without any authentication required whatsoever unlike, GPay on my phone which at the very least needs my fingerprint?

It also pisses me off to be honest that my bank won't supply me with a C&P, non-contactless card like my last bank did :/