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Elon is always obsessed with WeChat's model. (For those who don't know about WeChat, it is basically the name of the 'Everything app'.)
Everything in one single point is pretty convenient but has led to a bunch of risks...
Leave a risk that you know in the comment.
Convenience and marketing will always win at the end. We're heading that way anyway. People use Apple Pay and Google pay and don't think for a second what it means. Other forms of ID are going that way too. People want ecosystems without having to lift a finger. Just let big brother take care of everything.
What, you want to talk privately? Use cash? What do you have to hide?
On the other hand, Google/Apple Pay are both pretty great products that replace a horrendous legacy payments system. Recall that for like 40 years the most innovative consumer payment system looked like this. And it was essentially a duopoly as well (Visa/Mastercard).
At the end of the day, cash is still a thing as well.
Well, some countries indeed still commonly use payment systems from 50 years ago. That's pretty bizarre. I remember hearing about PayPal 20 years ago, how revolutionary it is, and I didn't quite get what the big deal is. That's because all around Europe we had secure online payments (secure against theft and such, not against the bank snooping) since the late 90's, and chipped cards even earlier.
But anyway yea... In person, cash is king. Let's keep it alive. Some countries are planning to phase out cash, and that really is only because we're letting it happen due to our lazyness.
Sure, I use them, but I have a good reason why I started using them. I lost my plastic 3 times in one year. I have a small kid, he's glued to me, whether it be the market or the playground, doesn't matter, he's always with me. He distracts me all the time (aways asking questions), so I just forget to take my plastic sometimes 🤷.
So, even though I was against it, I decided to use Google Pay (now Wallet). I rarely forget my phone (only when I leave home, so it's at home), plus it's big and bulky, you notice it missing sooner than a piece of plastic.
If there are any FOSS alternatives, I'd gladly use them, but as far as I know, there are none 🤷.
That's my point tho. I get it that technology can be complicated and not everyone can, wants or needs to learn everything relevant about it.
But the way it works out at the end, is that someone figures out to solve some truly trivial problem, and in the process siphons all your data and choices away.
Oh no, I can't figure out the 3 buttons on a music player. Solution: have a multibillion conglomerate listen to all your conversations on an off chance that you want to play a piece of music.
Oh no, I need to raise my hand to turn on the lights. Solution: have a multibillion conglomerate control everything in your house via an online service they control and can shut down on a whim.
Oh no, I'm clumsy and keep losing an essential thing. Solution: have a multibillion conglomerate go through all your purchases and identity at all times.
Oh no, my phone has like, 6 buttons. That's too much for lil ol' me! Solution: Have two multibillion conglomerates dictate you how to use your tech, which at the end becomes just as complicated yet dumber and 6x as expensive than what we had 15 years ago.
I dunno, at what point is the solution not worth that tiny inconvenience?
You can like, put your payment card in your phone's case. Heck you can even put bank notes in there.
But there are private and open source alternatives to these things. Home Assistant is the way to go for home automation, same with Apple's HomeKit (all local communication via your network only)
There are alternatives for almost everything, but most people just want to buy a new shiny thing with the biggest brand name, and click click click agree to everything.
True, we've gotta be the ones to push friends and family to fight that