Hi guys. Some of you may be aware that PayPal recently made some worrying statements regarding people who used their services. They have since backtracked - partially - but they had threatened to 'fine' users $2500 if they transgressed their acceptable use policy or were spreading misinformation... which included saying, posting or otherwise promoting things they found unacceptable. This could be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media platform. It included purchasing offensive items - whatever that might include! (The mind boggles) They began targetting anyone with right leaning views but there have been instances of them turning their attention to some left leaning people or groups as well so it's by no means as clear cut as one might imagine. Being the product of a conservative mother and a hard-line socialist dad, we had some very deep and interesting conversations when i was young so i wouldnt necessarily align myself with any specific group. Nevertheless, being censored and fined $2,500 (£2,200) is not to be taken lightly. However, I was concerned enough to try to close my account, but PayPal seems to be experiencing 'technical difficulties' and their shares have fallen 6% and are still tanking I believe. Im not advocating any particular action, I just thought it was something you might like to know, if you didn't already. Please go and check this out for yourselves to make sure what ive said is correct, but no matter who's doing it, stealing my money to stop me saying certain things is wrong on every level in my opinion! What strange times we live in!
Yes - they have now recinded that clause, saying it was "never supposed to be released". It was also a penalty that was payable on "each breach" (transaction ?) of anything that was in their opinion was agaisnt their rules. Interestingly that would never have stood up legally in the UK under the Unfair Contract Terms Act - but you would have to go to court to prove this. Two years and money to do that. If you have your bank current account linked you could be stripped of cash as they could just take it. Their stock value has dropped from $247 to 85$ over the last year. The news of this clause did reportedly cause an instant further 6% drop as Colin said, and was also attributed to the founders of paypal criticizing it on social media.. I am sure that it might go down some more if enough people continue to close accounts. However the storm has passed and investors are buying that stock again. I had already deleted my account the week before - I did this after they attempted to defund the Free Speech Union, Us for Them (some 25,000 parent/campaigners agains school closures in lockdown) and other organisations, who are not inherently "left or "right". UK Politicians are now being urged to legislate against arbitrary closure of such accounts without accountability. Or we all go back to cash....
Reading a little deeper, it seems that another clause in their terms and conditions still stands... this states that offending certain protected groups will attracts the same punishment ie, $2,500. As of last night its impossible to close a PayPal account. I'll keep trying and post an update when I finally manage it.
Try changing your payment info/bank details to something nonsensical, then theres no risk of any funds being pulled. Cease using the account afterwards. Cheers, Alec.
Ok, well that didnt work. I had a dormant account with nothing in it so i added that to PayPal in the hope i could delete my active account but trying to remove an account causes an error message... 'opps something went wrong, try again later' . Im telling you, they're not letting customers go without a fight! B@stards!
***** Update ***** Once the final transaction goes through on my PP account (they pay the vendor immediately and then wait a few days to take the money from your bank - not sure why) then I will be able to close my PP account. I want to stress that I do not hold any views that might be considered even vaguely radical, nor do I spread misinformation as outlined in the User Agreement. My problem is the implied threat that my views may be censored if they ever fall outside those that PayPal consider correct. As I have no idea what might fall 'beyond the pale' I am at the mercy of a large corporation's whim and that is of course, subject to change. Consider for a minute a future where using liquid fueled devices (lanterns, stoves and heaters for example) is considered willful environmental destruction and evidence that I'm a climate change denier. I could then be accused of transgressing PayPal's User Agreement and charged £2,200 ($2500) per infringement. This may sound crazy to you, but how far would PayPal be willing to go to police user compliance in whatever social sphere they decide to monitor?
Or even buying a bag of charcoal. My local council has tried to outlaw it but all they could do legally was ban disposable barbecues on the beach. A ban largely ignored by the public I add.
If there is any mucking around with my PP, I pull it! Doesn’t this sound like Orwell’s 1984? Big brother is watching? I read that in school along with “Animal Farm”! Never thought I would live to see the thing come true!
Apparently in the Netherlands there are/will be cash free supermarkets that analyse the "carbon footprint" of your purchases, and make suggestions on how to lower this. Not discussed then is the possibility for government to give you a "carbon ration" and tax you or prevent you if you go over. Orwellian enough ? C
Who gave private companies the right to fine citizens? You might argue that in signing the user agreement (clicking OK to continue in most cases) we gave them the right but I doubt that would hold in a court of law on either side of the Atlantic. As you say George, I never thought I'd be a bit player in '1984', the 'World is the Stage' version!!!
I can't delete a mobile phone number without adding another. To enable me to verify who I am/was, I bought an old desk phone with touch tone numbers to be able to enter a code PP would send me so I could then review my account. I'm still able to pay for items using PP without verifying who I am. I still use my old rotary dial phones. Duane
I still have one of those. But all the copper is being replaced with fibre so in a few months it will fall silent. Unless I build an exchange with a digital interface..
