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At the moment you can already grant third parties access to your data - you can pass along your online banking credentials and they will scrape the web UI (ther

At the moment you can already grant third parties access to your data - you can pass along your online banking credentials and they will scrape the web UI (there is an entire industry built on that - companies like TrueLayer will take any bank’s credentials and some cash and give you JSON in exchange, scraping the online banking UI behind the scenes). Stupid people will be stupid and will find a way to shoot themselves in the foot; doesn’t mean I should be prevented from accessing my own data.

close04 8y ago
You are not and were never prevented from accessing your own data. You keep repeating that while also mentioning you have options to access it. You may not like the options you have to access that data because you have different needs than most other people. But insisting you're not allowed feels more than just exaggeration. Open banking means it's not 100% proprietary and exclusive to each bank, it doesn't mean they have to open all doors and say "do what you want, I'm not even here". Regulation is there with a reason especially when dealing with such sensitive topics. You get access but you have to meet some conditions and the bar will be set according to the sensitivity: confidential personal data and actual money? It's going to be pretty high. People are more than happy to blame regulators when they fail to put measures in place to protect people from major issues but will complain nonetheless if the regulation is there.
- Rjevski 8y ago
  I am prevented from accessing my own data. A lot of bank's online banking is absolutely awful and doesn't go back more than 3 months worth of transactions. Thankfully none of this bullshit actually applies to me (I use Monzo Bank which does have an API) but I feel the pain for everyone else. > it doesn't mean they have to open all doors and say "do what you want, I'm not even here" So hold on, does this means we now need regulation on how we can use cash? Because at the moment, stupid people can withdraw all their cash and throw it away, and nobody is there to prevent them from doing so. How about we let people be responsible for their own data, and let them do whatever they want with it?
  - Nursie 8y ago
    > Because at the moment, stupid people can withdraw all their cash and throw it away, and nobody is there to prevent them from doing so. This is not actually a real world problem though. If it were it would likely be addressed. Why do so many people think only in theoretical extremes?
    - Rjevski 8y ago
      I don’t see account access being abused either. People could already be giving out their credentials, but somehow it’s not happening, so I don’t see the argument against personal access tokens.
      - Nursie 8y ago
        > People could already be giving out their credentials, but somehow it’s not happening, It is, people often get scammed into giving access to their accounts. Having more locked-down APIs is a way to move off from this.
        Rjevski 8y ago
        They are not using APIs to begin with. I'm not sure what else is there to lock down. Maybe we should just let idiots be idiots, and natural selection (or in this case, financial selection?) do its thing and the problem will go away eventually?
        Nursie 8y ago
        > They are not using APIs to begin with. I'm not sure what else is there to lock down. It's a bit like getting your app from the app store, or system repository, rather than downloading a random exe from the internet. Apple's walled garden comes in for a lot of criticism, but it does stop a lot of crap getting through. Getting your PSD2 enabled, regulated app from a curated list rather than any random piece of crapware is the same sort of idea. > Maybe we should just let idiots be idiots... Eh, if that was going to work it would have done by now. They'll only become a burden on the state.

close04 8y ago

You are not and were never prevented from accessing your own data. You keep repeating that while also mentioning you have options to access it. You may not like the options you have to access that data because you have different needs than most other people. But insisting you're not allowed feels more than just exaggeration. Open banking means it's not 100% proprietary and exclusive to each bank, it doesn't mean they have to open all doors and say "do what you want, I'm not even here". Regulation is there with a reason especially when dealing with such sensitive topics. You get access but you have to meet some conditions and the bar will be set according to the sensitivity: confidential personal data and actual money? It's going to be pretty high. People are more than happy to blame regulators when they fail to put measures in place to protect people from major issues but will complain nonetheless if the regulation is there.

Rjevski 8y ago
I am prevented from accessing my own data. A lot of bank's online banking is absolutely awful and doesn't go back more than 3 months worth of transactions. Thankfully none of this bullshit actually applies to me (I use Monzo Bank which does have an API) but I feel the pain for everyone else. > it doesn't mean they have to open all doors and say "do what you want, I'm not even here" So hold on, does this means we now need regulation on how we can use cash? Because at the moment, stupid people can withdraw all their cash and throw it away, and nobody is there to prevent them from doing so. How about we let people be responsible for their own data, and let them do whatever they want with it?
- Nursie 8y ago
  > Because at the moment, stupid people can withdraw all their cash and throw it away, and nobody is there to prevent them from doing so. This is not actually a real world problem though. If it were it would likely be addressed. Why do so many people think only in theoretical extremes?
  - Rjevski 8y ago
    I don’t see account access being abused either. People could already be giving out their credentials, but somehow it’s not happening, so I don’t see the argument against personal access tokens.
    - Nursie 8y ago
      > People could already be giving out their credentials, but somehow it’s not happening, It is, people often get scammed into giving access to their accounts. Having more locked-down APIs is a way to move off from this.
      - Rjevski 8y ago
        They are not using APIs to begin with. I'm not sure what else is there to lock down. Maybe we should just let idiots be idiots, and natural selection (or in this case, financial selection?) do its thing and the problem will go away eventually?
        Nursie 8y ago
        > They are not using APIs to begin with. I'm not sure what else is there to lock down. It's a bit like getting your app from the app store, or system repository, rather than downloading a random exe from the internet. Apple's walled garden comes in for a lot of criticism, but it does stop a lot of crap getting through. Getting your PSD2 enabled, regulated app from a curated list rather than any random piece of crapware is the same sort of idea. > Maybe we should just let idiots be idiots... Eh, if that was going to work it would have done by now. They'll only become a burden on the state.