Block: Inflated user metrics and “frictionless” fraud facilitation • Hacker News Board

Re: Block: Inflated user metrics and “frictionless” fraud facilitation

#321

Post by gessha » Sat, Mar 25, 2023, 4:40 AM UTC

bryanlarsen wrote: post #241

gessha wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, yes, it’s the people who got scammed who are at fault. Everyone should always be ultra suspicious of everyone around them, no happiness or fun allowed. \s I want to live in a world where I can trust a random stranger, not suspect them of robbing me. Justifying some extra protections like a pin or a fingerprint check to finalize a transactions should not be this big of a deal.

If you choose a stranger at random, you can likely trust them. If somebody chooses you, you're not choosing at random.

Technically yes, because you’re not choosing at all but they’re still random to me since they’re not from my circle.

Re: Block: Inflated user metrics and “frictionless” fraud facilitation

#322

Post by gessha » Sat, Mar 25, 2023, 4:47 AM UTC

throwawaysleep wrote: post #261

gessha wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, yes, it’s the people who got scammed who are at fault. Everyone should always be ultra suspicious of everyone around them, no happiness or fun allowed. \s I want to live in a world where I can trust a random stranger, not suspect them of robbing me. Justifying some extra protections like a pin or a fingerprint check to finalize a transactions should not be this big of a deal.

> I want to live in a world where I can trust a random stranger This is and always has been utterly delusional.

I disagree and I think it’s a matter of perspective.

Re: Block: Inflated user metrics and “frictionless” fraud facilitation

#323

Post by bryanlarsen » Sat, Mar 25, 2023, 12:01 PM UTC

gessha wrote: post #321

bryanlarsen wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you choose a stranger at random, you can likely trust them. If somebody chooses you, you're not choosing at random.

Technically yes, because you’re not choosing at all but they’re still random to me since they’re not from my circle.

It's not random at all. They're selected from the pool of people who will approach you.

Let's simplify. Say that 1 in a million people pull the stranger needing help scam, and will approach you given the opportunity. Everybody else will only approach you if they actually need help, which is rare, say 1 in a million.

So in that scenario 50% of the people approaching you are criminals, compared to 1 in a million who are actually criminals.

Re: Block: Inflated user metrics and “frictionless” fraud facilitation

#324

Post by peanuty1 » Tue, Mar 28, 2023, 4:50 PM UTC

satoshiwasme wrote: post #284

I'm a former block employee who has seen first hand the documents that proves these allegations. Marketing intentionally preyed on poor communities to promote cash app. They would refer to cash app as "payments for poor people". What's worse is Jack uses a large part of the companies budget to fund his personal Bitcoin projects. If you voiced any concerned you were silenced and eventually terminated.

> What's worse is Jack uses a large part of the companies budget to fund his personal Bitcoin projects.

I also worked at Block until earlier this year and AFAIK, the % of Block's overall operating costs spent on Bitcoin side projects is very low. Maybe 1% or something like that.