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People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

marketwatch.com

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Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#41

Post by gowld »

45h34jh53k4j wrote: post #31

Who would use Venmo? When I see people buying drugs (see vicemo.com), I shake my head at the stupidity of it all. I have been asked multiple times by people who want to pay me, and I have flatted refused because of there approach to financial privacy. I try to get them to stop using it also, for their own privacy. Lucky we have other options -- I usually get them into cryptocurrency instead. Hey -- its also open by d…

99% of those "people buying drugs" aren't buying drugs. It reports anything with "drink", "speed", "grass", or "dope", and obvious jokes.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#42

Post by CydeWeys »

gowld wrote: post #29
cortesoft wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is so ridiculous that the comment for a payment would be used against someone. Writing jokes in the 'for' line on a check is a time honored tradition when paying your friends money. I don't want to live in a world where I am not allowed to make jokes because it might get me a visit from the FBI.

Making jokes in private is fine. But publicly declaring an intent to violate the law is a joke that is going to get attention from law-enforcement unless they can be convinced it's a joke.

Which is exactly why random bullshit payments shouldn't be public, and why Venmo defaulting to it (or even having it be an option) makes no sense.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#43

Post by gowld »

mipmap04 wrote: post #26
nailer wrote: post #17

Come from a country where people don't use Venmo, and was astounded to read: > Some users seem to forget that their transactions are public by default Well that's (expletive). Secure defaults anyone?

While it is weird, it's worth noting that the transaction information it shows just shows who paid who and an optional narrative. They don't show actual dollar amounts. That being said, you can always post privately. Not sure why people post publicly.

It's still insane to make that public by default.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#44

Post by gowld »

anothergoogler wrote: post #13
craftyguy wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But Venmo users have found it’s also an extremely effective tool for keeping tabs on friends, partners and exes, researching crushes, and in some cases, uncovering infidelity.

That line and the article title are unsubstantiated. The three interviews are with two young college students and one 28 year-old guy whose ex-BF has a coke problem. Unless I missed it, there's nothing in the article about a cheating spouse.

It's just HN's daily 2minutes clickbait.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#45

Post by Fnoord »

nailer wrote: post #17

Come from a country where people don't use Venmo, and was astounded to read: > Some users seem to forget that their transactions are public by default Well that's (expletive). Secure defaults anyone?

Sane defaults, rather.

It is annoying how stuff on Facebook is by default shared with "Public", how applications install malware/adware by default, any advertising-related opt-out.

Only positive thing I can say is "they're not the only ones". But that doesn't make it right (Whataboutism).

Sad truth is, the software developers or the companies hiring them get away with such immoral choices.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#46

Post by gkoberger »

kinsomo wrote: post #2

It boggles my mind that anyone would want to stream their payment history publicly.

Hmm, I think most people use it to pay friends back for brunch or drinks. It's not like you're streaming all your credit card purchases. It's kinda like checking in on Foursquare with friends... it's a public way to expose your social graph a bit.

It may not be for you, but people love social media. To put it a different way: it's so successful because, despite there being lots of ways to pay back friends, none of the other ones let you subtly brag that you're out having fun.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#47

Post by 45h34jh53k4j »

justboxing wrote: post #5
kinsomo wrote: post #2

It boggles my mind that anyone would want to stream their payment history publicly.

[flagged]

I dont know why people even defend MZ, with arguments like, "he was young" -- he still is young. "People grow and mature" -- yup not seeing it. "People change" -- also dont see it. In fact, the MZ of today is just as creepy (if not more) than sketchy Mark 'Dumb Fucks" Zuckerberg.

Typically, the only defenders of MZ are FB employees. I guess they indoctrinate their employees to their Godhead well!

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#48

Post by ShabbosGoy »

etxm wrote: post #30
cortesoft wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is so ridiculous that the comment for a payment would be used against someone. Writing jokes in the 'for' line on a check is a time honored tradition when paying your friends money. I don't want to live in a world where I am not allowed to make jokes because it might get me a visit from the FBI.

I used to write vulgar stuff in the memo line like “hookers” or “blow”. Stupid college shit. One day my bank called me and said if I did it again they’d cancel my account. I asked the rep her name and promised to stop... I wrote “fuck you sarah” for two years until I changed banks.

What an odd thing for a bank to do, police how someone uses a memo line in a check. At least you got your revenge on them.

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#49

Post by svnsets »

craftyguy wrote: post #8
anothergoogler wrote: post #6

Nothing in the article about "cheating spouses."

> But Venmo users have found it’s also an extremely effective tool for keeping tabs on friends, partners and exes, researching crushes, and in some cases, uncovering infidelity.

“Not that I care,” she said. “It’s just interesting to see.”

Re: People using Venmo to spy on cheating spouses

#50

Post by 45h34jh53k4j »

fermienrico wrote: post #37

In this thread - "You can do X to make it private." In my view, that is not addressing the main issue with Venmo. Socializing financial transactions shouldn't have taken off from back of the napkin stage. It is simply unbelievable on 2 fronts: 1) Such an app exists and is doing fine 2) People simply do not care about their privacy. I am utterly speechless. Who in the right mind opens up Venmo to just browse what kind…

Its the world we have made. We make a whole generation of people not care for privacy (FB), and then we are surprised when people assume their finances are not private?

We are all collectively to blame for such privacy failures. The users/victims are simply that, victims of our troubled privacy-less future.

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