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I don't have a smartphone, am I not participating in society?

by kleiba 5y ago

r_singh 5y ago
What I mean is that you need it to use an increasing number of private and public services these days. Speaking from my experiences in Europe and South Asia. So effectively companies and the government are telling us that we need one of these to get avail conveniences and in some cases to be able to use their service at all… With policies that mandate the use of digital vaccine certificates, apps and QR codes being ubiquitous, we’re effectively being forced to become a customer of Apple or Google one way or another I cannot enter or place an order at most coffee shops today without a smartphone
- denton-scratch 5y ago
  > I cannot enter or place an order at most coffee shops today without a smartphone Really? I wonder where you are. I own a smartphone, but I don't carry it with me; I've never been to any kind of shop that doesn't accept my debit card, other than for small-value purchases like a bag of onions from a greengrocer, for which cash is sometimes required.
  - r_singh 5y ago
    I was in Mumbai and Berlin. I did not need my smartphone to pay, but to display my vaccination certificate which is required at most places and to scan the menu which these days is replaced with a QR code placed on the table
    - denton-scratch 5y ago
      Each time I got jabbed, they gave me a little cardboard "certificate" the size of a credit card. I carry them in my wallet, but I've never had to produce them anywhere. Perhaps I'm going to the wrong places.
      - r_singh 5y ago
        The Indian vaccine certificate is digital and has a QR code.
simonh 5y ago
So I’d say you are less able to participate in society.
Johnythree 5y ago
It's getting harder and harder to manage without a smart phone. I was stuck overseas at the start of the Pandemic because I couldn't buy a plane ticket as I couldn't receive an SMS for OTP authorisation. Had a shouting match with my bank when I finally did return as they now want me to use an App, which I couldn't get while I was overseas.

I don't have a smartphone, am I not participating in society?

by kleiba 5y ago

I don't have a smartphone, am I not participating in society?

What I mean is that you need it to use an increasing number of private and public services these days. Speaking from my experiences in Europe and South Asia. So effectively companies and the government are telling us that we need one of these to get avail conveniences and in some cases to be able to use their service at all… With policies that mandate the use of digital vaccine certificates, apps and QR codes being ubiquitous, we’re effectively being forced to become a customer of Apple or Google one way or another I cannot enter or place an order at most coffee shops today without a smartphone

denton-scratch 5y ago
> I cannot enter or place an order at most coffee shops today without a smartphone Really? I wonder where you are. I own a smartphone, but I don't carry it with me; I've never been to any kind of shop that doesn't accept my debit card, other than for small-value purchases like a bag of onions from a greengrocer, for which cash is sometimes required.
- r_singh 5y ago
  I was in Mumbai and Berlin. I did not need my smartphone to pay, but to display my vaccination certificate which is required at most places and to scan the menu which these days is replaced with a QR code placed on the table
  - denton-scratch 5y ago
    Each time I got jabbed, they gave me a little cardboard "certificate" the size of a credit card. I carry them in my wallet, but I've never had to produce them anywhere. Perhaps I'm going to the wrong places.
    - r_singh 5y ago
      The Indian vaccine certificate is digital and has a QR code.

simonh 5y ago

So I’d say you are less able to participate in society.

Johnythree 5y ago

It's getting harder and harder to manage without a smart phone. I was stuck overseas at the start of the Pandemic because I couldn't buy a plane ticket as I couldn't receive an SMS for OTP authorisation. Had a shouting match with my bank when I finally did return as they now want me to use an App, which I couldn't get while I was overseas.