MSE Forum poll: Would you have a microchip installed in your hand to pay for things?

MSE_JC

From chip and pin to contactless to tapping your phone on a card reader, the ways we're able to carry out transactions are always evolving. Some people have even had a chip implanted in their hand that lets them pay for things. At the very least, it would potentially mean one less thing to carry with you (and lose!).

Would you take the plunge and have a 'payment chip' installed in your hand?

kimwp

If I couldn't feel it and there was some failsafe of needing to put a pin in then yes. Add electronic door entry and that would remove the need to carry a purse and keys.

Ksw3

I'd be too paranoid about a weekend at bernies...

booneruk

Not while I'm able to carry something: phone, wallet..... wand

MSE_JC

booneruk said:

Not while I'm able to carry something: phone, wallet..... wand

Very whimsical!

A friend of mine who's a Doctor Who fan once mooted putting one in a Sonic Screwdriver toy. Not sure if a Time Lord would choose the Tube over the TARDIS though!

Exodi

Given that this forum skews older (nearly half of posters are over 60), I have a feeling I know which way this poll is going to go... plus I've read enough threads on here with people disabling the contactless function on their cards and dramatically boycotting businesses that try go cashless.

I personally think it would be pretty cool. I've almost weaned myself off carrying a wallet (using NFC on my phone is just way more convenient) and I've also paid on my watch a couple of times.

I'm all for new technology that makes life more convenient - though my 'definitely' vote is cast on the assumption it's not a fixed account address (or if it was, have it linked to something like Curve so you can change the card being used).

kimwp said:

If I couldn't feel it and there was some failsafe of needing to put a pin in then yes. Add electronic door entry and that would remove the need to carry a purse and keys.

Oh yes, depending on how the technology advances. I was originally thinking of disabling or enabling my home alarm which currently uses an RFID tag, but you're right, you could go further for unlocking a door - you could even extend this to unlocking your car (or forget about the concept of locking and unlocking all together - your car would always be unlocked while you're very near/inside it and locked when not. Then maybe you could assign people temporary access via on online portal (e.g. to a house sitter or the mechanic servicing your car).

Maybe that's the future, but then probably not as it would probably require mass adoption and given the significant conspiracy and disinformation nonsense that is constantly being spread on social media, a significant amount of people simply wouldn't trust the technology nor consent to it, suggesting it would be used to control our thoughts akin to the stuff we saw with the 5G-Covid-Bill Gates stuff..

Emmia

Of course if someone wanted your card details, then it would be worse than having your phone/wallet snatched...

If you have multiple cards, how would you pick which one to pay with?

Exodi

Emmia said:

Of course if someone wanted your card details, then it would be worse than having your phone/wallet snatched...

If you have multiple cards, how would you pick which one to pay with?

I think you're considering this from quite a pessimistic perspective.

Being less pessimistic, you could expect that theft might go down because it's a lot easier to pickpocket a wallet and use the card number to buy things online or to pay for something with contactless in a shop, than it is to kidnap a person and hold them hostage while insisting they go shopping with you and tap their hand without saying anything (or chop their hand off)! You're implying that opportunistic thieves that are currently committing relatively low level crimes would just naturally escalate to much more serious crimes.

Your second point you'd presume the default payment card would be changeable on an app/online, I don't really see any alternative as cards expire. Of course I appreciate the inevitable counter to this would be "well then what if you're an older person that doesn't have a phone/access to the internet" - to which my counter-counter response would be then they can't use it!

Mark_d

I already have this functionality through using a payment ring:
https://cnick.co.uk/

BridgetTheCat

Mark_d said:

I already have this functionality through using a payment ring:
https://cnick.co.uk/

🤣 I was just thinking I wouldn’t mind something wearable like a ring or a bracelet, but I wouldn’t have something implanted under my skin.

HillStreetBlues

If getting mugged I'd rather they take my wallet than my hand