Why are things so hard to log into these days? Just

It’s due to hackers, but bloody annoying.

I guess someone may have the bright idea of setting up shops that do the tech for you. A bit like going to the bank, but handle all your online things in a one stop shop. Perhaps I should do it....

TBH a lot of my passwords at one point were swearing mostly with numbers

Dont get me started, ive been locked out of one of my email addresses because I got a new phone and cant remember the password. After entering different passwords that I use it told me I couldn't access it until sometime in November. That 2 step thing didnt work as it had 2 mobile numbers set up and both the same one so wouldnt give me a code.
Thankfully its not my main email address just one I use for apps that I HAVE to have because god forbid I dont have an app to purchase something.
It also annoys me that all these apps take up valuable space on my phone forcing me to upgrade my phone when the only thing wrong with it is its full of apps.
The school has 4 different apps 🤯 one for payment, one for homework, one for messages and another for behaviour/detentions etc. Why not just have one with all of those.
I just want a phone to be a phone is that really to much to ask?

Yes but the buses don't have a chip and pin machine so if you've used your contactless already that day and you need enter your pin you're screwed if stuck somewhere with no bank machine or no shop for change. Ask me how I know, lol.

Interrailing across Europe this summer, dealing with each city's public transport systems was a nightmare. I don't want to install a different app every 2 days! App based transport is all based around everyone having their own phone- but kids don't. And most places seem to have phased out child tickets (presumably because you can't tell who's buying and using them on an app?) unless you apply for some kind of ID card for your child. Great for residents, not so great for a family passing through for a day 🙄.

@TempestTost now genuinely wondering if the online safety bill actually addresses any of this! I might have a look later but I presume it doesn't

With regards to mum's recent trouble, ironically she fell foul of some new regulations, apparently came into play in September, which basically allow the bank staff to overly question any transaction, if it's made by an elderly or vulnerable person. And also to ask for anything in the way of proof. What my mum was being asked for was totally ridiculous.

if it had been urgent, she would've been absolutely stuck.

It was quite hard to find any information about this new policy, but I think they're extending it to people over 67. So imagine you're going to the bank, quite likely be dealing with budgets and things in your job, and get questioned because you're over 67

It's literally designed to push people online and actually there is no safeguarding for vulnerable people.

I thought eventually a bank would cotton on to this and start charging for face-to-face appointments but I suppose the amount they'd have charged to make it worth it isn't an amount anyone could pay.

I'll tell you it may be worse than people doing it for their parents.

I have library patrons asking staff to do this constantly. Set up banking, government tax related stuff, health care stuff. Get their pension applications in order. Which we mainly do not do, and are not allowed to do, but they are asking. And I have helped people set up medical appointments which is really not something that should happen, but when you see someone struggling to fill out a form because they can't see well, type, or work a mouse, it starts to feel a bit inhuman not to help them at all.

I don't know what they are doing when they leave us, but it worries me.

I do think it may need to be adressed in a more serious way.

I thought they were set up so that you could just use a contactless card? Like getting on any bus basically. Have they changed it again?

Fair enough, was just trying to be helpful as it's not something everyone knows. It's worth investing in a cheap but newer phone that allows WiFi calling. Improvements to phone signal dead spots doesn't seem to be a priority for anyone in the meantime.

also, is everyone having to do biometrics for banking apps? Including passport scans and video clips? I'm guessing there isn't a bank left who won't make you do this.

Elderly and vulnerable are already well on the way to being pushed out of using essential services, like banking

And people seem to forget that if you were working and accustomed to using computers, etc, there are many health problems that are more likely to come in at old age than earlier, which will knock out your ability to confidently use these things.

I do really want a campaign about this, but I have no idea where to start, honestly I'd welcome suggestions

I won't bother you with the whole story, but recently my mum had issues with in person banking - I know we're lucky that she still has a bank to go to - and I think we may be at the point where I have to take it over for her entirely. Which I would say is really dangerous. And then we'll get into that territory where no one understands how power of attorney works

I realised from that incident that a lot of people are probably just creating a login for elderly parents ... and just operating it pretending to be them rather than going through any other hassle.

We eventually got the job done in the bank. But it took them an hour and I think the reason Mum was originally "encouraged" to go away was that they simply didn't want to do the task. She was also given wrong information about what she needed in order to get it done.

literally all done on purpose to spare a bank dealing with an actual human customer.

QR codes in public spaces like the payment instructions for a car park are dangerous. All it takes is someone to stick a modified one over the top and you could be redirected to a fake site.

I do understand why the multi step verification is necessary sadly, for protection from the hackers, but my god it's so frustrating, especially when it keeps changing & gets more & more complicated each time.

What is more frustrating is that it's becoming impossible to do anything without downloading an app, a QR code or a portal and dealing with an actual human being is becoming a rarity due to AI. I feel everything is moving too fast and many of these systems have been inflicted on us still full of glitches & teething problems, making them less efficient than the manual systems they were designed to replace.This is aside from the constant changes & "upgrades" to systems that were working well. It's of course all down to making money, not for our convenience.

Like another poster, I'm almost missing the old days when you could pay a bill by writing a cheque & popping it in the post! So simple!

Yup, more and more things are like this.

I work in a library, and I have a lot of people come in to use the public computers to do their personal admin. Some are homeless, lots are poor, or old, or both, quite a few are mentally ill or have some kind of intellectual impairment.

They struggle so, so much with this stuff. The ones without cell phones are now largely unable to access some services, like banking, at all. Those with some kind of cognitive issues are the worst off, be it from drugs, injury, or anything else, they are just massively frustrated, as soon as they learn a new protocol, it changes again.

I do wonder where the line will be for the general population, where the burden of the security measures outweigh the benefits of doing things online.

I’m guessing it’s so you can pay tax on what you earn.

@fromthechandelier Not all phones have that option, my phone being one that doesn't. 🙄

I've been using Edinburgh buses since childhood but recently I've found the ticketing process to be overwhelming with all the log-ins, installs, trackers, sites and apps. Too many options and rates and variables that are all time consuming to set-up and a nightmare if your phone malfunctions at the bus stop.

I remember the good old days where I simply put the coins in the slot and got on with my life.

I live in a signal deadspot too, we don't get any signal whatsoever (and don't live particularly rurally either). Set your phone to WiFi calling and text messages will come through. It a huge drain on your mobile battery though

Yep. Hate QR codes & struggle to scan them (probably need to change my phone as it's getting old but don't want to). I actually didn't donate to something recently because QR was the only way of doing so.

I was about to post that yesterday my poor 80+ neighbour was literally sobbing to me as she indeed feels digitally excluded and just can't cope with modern life anymore. As a 50 something I sympathised that I can barely cope either and expect to drown very soon. It's getting ridiculous, stressful and unmanageable 😔

I haven't had this experience yet

Who is doing that? I've only seen user-friendly QR codes

I would also avoid restaurants and cafés with QR codes, but my best friend likes them. She actually used to head for them on purpose sometimes but she got disillusioned because she realised you can't ask for any tweaks. Also, she says the menu often isn't the full menu?

she is turning into someone who doesn't want to talk to anyone else. She also really likes self checkout at the supermarket. I only use it if it's the only option (which it is in my nearest supermarket).

Or when you receive a QR code via email or WhatsApp to your actual phone that you need to scan the damn thing. Who on earth thought that was a sensible idea?!

@BaskervilleOldFaceccompletely agree. I hate qr codes - especially in cafes. Awful.

Another thing I hate is QR codes everywhere that you have to scan, especially when they are on cafe or restaurant tables. Call me old fashioned, but if I go to a cafe or restaurant I want to see a menu and for an actual human being to take my order. Why? Because I’m also a human being and quite like exchanging a few pleasant words with other people. Whenever I see a cafe that has QR codes on the tables, I just walk on by, so they don’t get my trade.

I’m pretty tech-literate and I like a lot of it, but when the tech actually makes simple things far more complicated, I get angry. It’s just alienating.