this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2026
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Privacy
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Do banking exclusively through the online portals? For me, if that means using my desktop or a laptop for banking, that's what I do, because I will not install a banking app on my phone.
Switch banks. That's what I did. I had a bank that required an app to use them as well before I decided that I cared about my privacy and wanted more of it. And when I found out that my bank wouldn't let me do things, I switched banks. Because fuck them.
Generally it's neobanks that cause the most problems. If you're using older banks that have been around for quite a long time, they don't have nearly the technology, so are less likely to have this occur. In the United States, an example of this might be something like Wells Fargo or Discover or something like that, whereas one of these neobanks that would cause problems would be like chime.
Generally, stay away from thin tech and stay with actual banks. You might also look at credit unions. My local credit union is really good, and has a good online website, and has an app as well, but doesn't require it at all.
I use several banks and several credit unions, and the only thing I can't do with a laptop is deposit checks (which is getting pretty rare).
FinTech products like PayPal, Venmo, Cash.app, BlueBird and such often require a phone app, but aren't regulated banks, and are best avoided when possible.
Same here, I might end up with a check in my hands like once per year, and so I have to make like one single trip to my credit union every single year or whatever to deposit that check, and that's it.
I might make a post about banks that don't require apps or collect data. Mine is stupid about it if you don't opt out. I'm so sick of every business normalizing this.
my condolences are you euro?
I didn't know they rolled like that, good to know for the purposes of learning about banking & surveillance systems. haven't seen it mentioned on GOS forums
Nice idea in theory . . . but here in the UK, increasingly customers are being left with little other choice. Between banking apps using push messages to verify credit/debit card transactions, closing of physical branches and requiring authentication via the app to log into the website . . . not using their app is becoming more and more difficult every day.
What services do they have for senior citizens? Because they are the most likely ones to not want to use technology. You can probably piggyback on what they use.
They are offering free classes for seniors to teach them how to use the apps.
https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/35627/lloyds-to-provide-free-digital-skills-training-and-tablets-for-elderly-customers
Okay, in that case, I would just buy a very cheap second device and have your primary one using a privacy system such as graphene and then use a secondary one that you never turn on except for doing that kind of stuff.
That way, at least your primary system is isolated from the rootkit that is things like Google Play Services.