Mobile Banking - An Unneeded Luxury

          Companies have recently begun this new trend towards mobile banking, where we now can use our cell phones as a way to purchase items. I personally feel that this form of mobile banking is unnecessary in the United States and just another ploy to have consumer spending increase.  When paying for something it seems like nowadays consumers have too many easy options. Not only does the average consumer have more credit and debit cards than fingers, but every day in the mail we are getting these preapproved offers with deals that in the end only do more harm than good. I feel like mobile banking, although cool, has too many negatives to overcome the conveniences. What happens if you lose your phone? What’s the point of not taking your wallet if you still need a picture ID for approval? 

          However, I do feel like mobile banking will be extremely beneficial to people who do not have access to bank accounts or credit. In Haiti for example, mobile banking seems to be the only available form of banking for Haitians. Once the concept begins to develop not only will they be able to receive and sends funds via text messages, but they will be able to use their cell phones to purchase necessities such as utilities and food. In addition, this provides citizens for an alternative way of funding in the case of an emergency. After the earthquake devastated Haiti it was clear that the banks were inefficient and that Haiti needed an alternative financial service. As a result, mobile banking in Haiti was able to gain ground and generate millions. I feel that mobile banking will improve economies only in areas where mobile banking is a necessity rather than a luxury, but if you think I’m wrong please let me know why.

The Booming Business of Piracy

          In the past 5 years piracy has grown so much that it is not uncommon to the average consumer to illegally own non-authentic items. Whether it is movies, software, music, or textbooks, if its overpriced then chances are somewhere (somehow) there is an easily down-loadable pirated copy available. So why hasn’t legislation done something to control this? Simple answer. They can’t. If they could have they would have – or at minimum they would have taxed it. The beauty and curse of the internet is the ability for anyone to be able to upload whatever they want. To control what people do online would be VIRTUAL-ly impossible (hehehe). 

Congress Efforts

          Legislation does make efforts to control online piracy with the latest being a government grant given to universities that educate and implement programs that deter illegal downloading. Although I see no incentive or alternative given to people who illegally download on campus, I’ll bite and think it’ll work. However, I think the main problem is how are online users going to be controlled while at home? What about foreign websites? How can they be effectively controlled - without the US appearing to police the online world? The recent bill they voted on is an attempt to control these rogue websites that make pirated goods available; however, there is strong national and international criticism and although I like to consider myself a law abiding citizen I disagree with this bill. Not only do I think this would be impossible to implement, but I also feel that the government has no right to blacklist websites and control what the American people want to see. What would then stop them from taking additional steps, controlling more and more. 

          Yes, I understand it is illegal and how companies and people should get paid for their services, but I also know that these artists do benefit from having their work being transferred from computer to computer. I like to think of it in terms of economies of scale: $9.99 to buy a CD, $1.00 to buy just one song, $9.99/month for unlimited downloads to a small percentage of guilty conscience users, $0.00 to millions of online users, where the artist just benefits from the promotion. 

          Whether wrong or right, I see online piracy as an unstoppable force that you can’t stop, you can only hope to contain.