Set as Homepage - Add to Favorites

【A painting by might well contain frank sensuality and eroticism in a parklike setting.】

Source：Evergreen Information Network Editor：Social Good Time：2025-06-27 04:41:03

Cash hasn't been dethroned,A painting by might well contain frank sensuality and eroticism in a parklike setting. yet.

In the age of Square, Apple Pay, and Amazon Go, buying a sandwich or beer with paper money may feel like a throwback to simpler, neolithic times. But on Feb. 27, Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney signed into law a bill requiring that stores accept cash. So those times are guaranteed at least a temporary reprieve from an otherwise looming extinction.

That is a very good thing.

SEE ALSO: A judge can order you to use this app to deal with your ex

The bill, which takes effect July 1, represents the first time a major U.S. city has codified into law the requirement for most businesses to accept cash. It seeks to counter a move to cashless stores, which critics have called out as both an invasion of privacy and a form of discrimination against the poor and unbanked.

“Most of the people who don’t have credit tend to be lower income, minority, immigrants," Philadelphia city councilman William Greenlee, who introduced the bill, told the Wall Street Journal. "It just seemed to me, if not intentional, at least a form of discrimination.”

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Greenlee isn't the only one who's troubled by the encroachment of a cashless society. As the New York Timesreports, the governments of New Jersey, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington are all debating similar bills.

The move by businesses away from cash — exemplified by the likes of the upscale Blue Bottle coffee chain, which is trying out a cash-banning experiment starting this month — is a boon for data-hungry credit card companies. Visa went so far as to, in the words of spokesperson Andy Gerlt to the Associated Press, officially "[declare] war on cash" in 2017.

In the age of surveillance capitalism and nonstop data breaches, this should worry you. Having every single transaction you make recorded and sent to several third parties, where that record lives on in perpetuity, sets the stage for a time when every questionable purchase — like buying drinks at a credit card company flagged bar, or, say, a chrome skull — can come back to haunt you.

Having the option to pay in cash allows people to spend their money how they want, without the very real fear that their purchases might be used against them in some presently unforeseeable way.

But back to the more tangible idea of cashless societies discriminating against the poor. Mayor Kenney's spokesperson told the Wall Street Journalthat 26 percent of Philadelphia residents are below the poverty line. Many of those, he told the paper, are unbanked.

Seeing a "no cash accepted here" sign might, for those without access to credit cards or other forms of digital payment, read as the equivalent as a warning telling them to stay away. Philadelphia, and many other cities, are attempting to head that future off at the pass.

Time will tell if they succeed.

Featured Video For You
Millions of people may be giving away their privacy through ancestry tests

Topics Cybersecurity Privacy

Previous：Amazon Prime members gets 10% off Grubhub orders through Feb. 17

Next：Early Prime Day deals on self

Related Articles
Related Recommendations
Categories
Latest Articles
Popular Articles
Hot Recommendations
Featured Column

Quick Links

Facebook Live videos will now autoBest Kindle deal: Save 22% on a Kindle Paperwhite Kids at AmazonStuff Your Kindle Day: How to get free books on Feb. 21England vs. Scotland 2025 livestream: Watch Six Nations for freeBangladesh vs. New Zealand 2025 livestream: Watch ICC Champions Trophy for freeBest Samsung deal: Save $230 on Samsung Galaxy Watch UltraNYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for February 21: Tips to solve Connections #151Waymo, Zoox, Tesla: Are autonomous vehicles safe? What you need to knowAnker Prime Power Bank deal: Get it for $149.99NYT Connections Sports Edition hints and answers for February 23: Tips to solve Connections #153Best robot vacuum deal: Save $300 on Shark Robot Vacuum and MopEngland vs. Scotland 2025 livestream: Watch Six Nations for freeBest headphones deal: Save $100 on Sennheiser AccentumWhat's new to streaming this week? (Feb. 21, 2025)AFL 2025 livestream: How to watch Aussie Rules Football for freeWhat's new to streaming this week? (Feb. 21, 2025)Wordle today: The answer and hints for February 20, 2025Best Samsung deal: Save $230 on Samsung Galaxy Watch UltraNRL 2025 livestream: How to watch National Rugby League for freeNYT Connections hints and answers for February 20: Tips to solve 'Connections' #620. Kylie Jenner spinoff will document all the like, realizing stuff she's been up to 8 ingenious innovations helping autistic children communicate Google reportedly wants LG to build bendable OLED displays for next Pixel phone Definitely The Situation from 'Jersey Shore' has new tax evasion problems, could face 20 years Frank Ocean is blessing us with even more new music with help from friends Jay Another 'Blade Runner' Inception Date has come to pass The internet to United: Re A guide to Facebook etiquette after someone has died Kayak At Work tool looks like an Excel doc for SFW travel planning Steph Curry is once again getting mocked on Twitter for some ugly shoes One kitty's cuddly nature proves that not all cats are total jerks Woman uses car backup camera to perfectly prank her unsuspecting boyfriend You know things are bad when Mark Hamill mixes up Steve Bannon and Darth Vader Hero umpire saves the day after inflated condom drifts onto field And Peggy: MLB team's sneaky 'Hamilton' joke is a pitch Henry Cavill auditioning in the original 'Superman' suit is a thing of beauty Wife brilliantly trolls her husband for making a sexist joke These pins defend scientists and science in the Trump era China is dominating the world in esports earnings

2.6114s , 8288.5 kb

Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【A painting by might well contain frank sensuality and eroticism in a parklike setting.】,Evergreen Information Network  

Sitemap

Top

Quick Links