cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/40908017

Banknote serial numbers are being tracked from ATMs as an unwarranted mass surveillance scheme, which bypasses the GDPR.

At the same time, Dutch and French ATMs have unilaterally nationwide quit dispensing banknotes larger than €50. I’ve heard lots of unconvincing reasons for forced-small denominations. Does anyone have a more convincing theory than the fact that each banknote is a tracking opportunity?

In France we mostly use debit cards and they are given for free from the bank. If you buy groceries, it's better to have a smaller amount of money not to bother cashiers. And if you buy big stuff, it's easier with a debit card. Going to an ATM all the time is annoying, and someone can mug you and steal your money.

I'm only listing positive things obviously, but it's to show that no one really cares about the private aspect of banknotes.

The only point of banknotes is to buy (or sell) things you don't want a paper trail for, or personal freedom of privacy. There is little privacy in using tap-to-pay via Visa/MC/etc, a near-permanent payment trail.

Just because you personally use debit cards doesn't mean that 'nobody really cares' that there is an illegal GDPR-violating secret government program to track banknotes.

In the Netherlands there were never notes bigger than 50 euros in the ATM to start with. Never seen notes bigger than that in France either, but I don't use those in France too often.