In famously cashless Norway, where more and more everyday transactions are by card or app, it’s hard for buskers or beggars to get—or spend—cash. But there’s an app for that.
A smartphone payment app called Vipps, originally intended for store or banking transactions is now being used by more and more buskers and beggars. While it does require a Norwegian ID, bank account and phone number, those are not impossible, except for foreigners.
For non-Norwegians, though, it could be a big problem. While it might be possible for them to ‘borrow’ credentials to get on, it’s illegal. Elisabeth Haug, an official of Vipps, says that “abouse of others’ identity will be clamped down on…We are monitoring this around the clock. If we detect suspicious traffic, we look more closely at the issue.”
While this and other uses of technology in a coming cashless society may answer some needs, they also highlight the difficulties that lie ahead for those in poverty or otherwise marginalized by society.
