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

[SapphireSeptember]

Just tried to log into my NHS account to make an appointment for DS. Need photo ID and a recording of my face or a load of details about my GP. The last time I logged on I didn't need any of this nonsense. They've got my details! My photo ID is a passport from 2016, the last time I used it for ID I got funny looks because I've aged a bit since then, so it probably won't match anyway. If I phone up I'll get told to do it online.

Tried to log into O2 the other week and it took forever because I needed to re- register now they've taken over Virgin Media. Took about ten minutes to get through to top up my phone whereas before it took about two.

Everything needs multiple steps these days and it drives me up the wall. Yahoo! is still easy to sign into though!

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.

@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.

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 🙄.

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.

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?

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

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....

It’s due to hackers, but bloody annoying.

So the lack of an off-line option an even bigger deal

It sounds like a lot of us would welcome it.

I don't have banking apps on my phone. Can someone explain to me how big a problem is if the phone gets stolen? Or if it isn't working? Please and thank you.

I'd already put in my date of birth and the code they'd sent to my phone! That's what's so annoying.

The scariest part of this is that all our data is being stored on dozens of servers.

all this rubbish about making it harder for hackers and scammers, it's an illusion no, they'll just head for the server and hack that. If that kid who hacked into the Pentagon can do it, you can bet that they can find a way. It's just a more enjoyable challenge for them.

Ive got rid of any supermarket or retail reward card that forces me to download an app. It's just not worth the hassle and the risk. I don't need puddly amounts of money off my Boots shampoo or a free coffee after I've had to spend £40 on coffees for the privilege. It's all just a massive con!

The outrage and negativity about ID cards was crazy - they already know all about you down to where you are ,or if phone is off where you last were when you used it, your IP address, your address and if you used photo id, What you look like .

I think they hope people won’t bother to track their spending or increases in price (that you have to log in to find the details of).

I’m with SP and use my laptop to access my account - my laptop remembers all my passwords so that works. Out and about with only my phone…..I wouldn’t bother.

I find myself having to do some deep breathing to use car park apps. If you haven’t used the particular one for a while and have changed your car God help you! I yearn for the days when I could stick a quid in the machine.
I parked on a Sunday which was free after 5.30pm. I paid my 2hrs taking me past 5.30pm but then the app sent me a reminder that my parking was expiring in 2hrs. It made me doubt I’d read the parking restrictions incorrectly (that’s a whole other thread!).

I've noticed that more and more car park machines have now got a contactless payment option, which is great for me as I point blank refused to ever use a parking app.

I am in if there is a campaign! Been ranting about this for years. And I hate being treated like I am a silly irrelevant older person who doesn’t understand technology. I do, and that’s why I can see that we have totally jumped the shark with all this.
Ive complained to my doctors about the convoluted appointment process, and the practice manager told me that their patients find it convenient… sure, the ones that don’t give up before they manage to get an appointment! It’s a barrier to care for precisely the people who likely need it most- the old, the sick, people in pain.
And I don’t want bloody apps for everything in my phone. I’m thinking about ditching my smart phone completely and wonder how possible life even is without one?

It also costs more to pay via Ringo than it does to pay by contactless in lots of places. That is if the contactless is working of course. My local council had to withdraw it as it broke down so often.

True. It’s like 40% of the car park charge just for “admin”.

Spoke to a 30 something today who told me that it takes a lot longer to do individual tasks because of software changes. I didn't raise the issue. She said it to me because of something that is going to take longer than when she did it for me last time.

1. Security has to beef up to keep pace with hackers finding new ways to get data
2. Too many people set dumb/easy to crack passwords/fail to set up 2FA

If you want to use apps and tech but don't want to get hacked, you have to accept jumping through numerous hoops to log in to things/prove your identity.

It's absolutely tedious and mind-numbing, but you can't put a price on security.

And now today there's an Internet outage that's affecting many apps 😔

I’ve been watching this thread and waiting for a comment like this.

I’ve recently had a situation where my dad was hospitalised and my mum (who relies on my dad for just about everything) then couldn’t even ask a friend to get something from a supermarket because she hadn’t had a bank card for so long the bank just stopped issuing her new cards. So, she was completely stuck. I live 80 miles away and could hardly “nip” to the local co-op for her so the whole thing turned into a bit of a muddle.

They are fiercely independent (despite being in their mid/late 80’s) and refuse to do Power of Attorney because that will “admit defeat”. The whole situation is ridiculous but there is no changing their mind. My dad does hold his own with online banking but this situation proved my mum just wouldn’t be able to cope. but will they do anything about it!? NOPE! Grrrr!

And, I struggle with all the online stuff, passwords, how many pictures have motorbikes in, what is the name of your pet (I don’t have one!?) etc… it drives me insane! It took me 18 months to sort out my EA Games account because I couldn’t access an email address (and I’m not shy with technology).

So, just how older people manage is actually beyond me, but I also admire them for trying to tackle it too!

I've just had a major rant at one of these situations.

I've had a barrage of emails telling me they are upgrading to new portal system please log in before it goes live to check import etc etc. I finally got round to it today.

So - I use my email address to log in as instructed. Need password so you are told to go through lost password process. Sit and watch the paint drying whilst awaiting link. Link finally arrives, set new password (same as I used before!) and then..... the dreaded 2FA. I have a choice of SMS or email. I opt for SMS. That still hasn't arrived so I try again with email. More waiting for paint to dry. It eventually shows up 25 minutes later and has expired before it arrives...

I may get to log in one day but it's sucked enough of my life force for today

I am a face-scan refuser.

The NHS app has an option on the first page you can click on saying 'log in by email address' or summat like that. Face scanning is easily avoidable there.

I have refused three times to get my face scanned by companies who want to take me on as a contractor. I sometimes get patches of Eczema on my face and I find it intrusive and annoying.
EVERY TIME I get an annoying millennial who declares it to be essential, and every time I challenge it and they find some other way.
we must resist this menace!

I really hate this technological nightmare we seem to have sleepwalked into.

Come on, Carrington Event Mk2.