Freelance journalists Laurence D’Hondt and Eric Bonse revealed that the erosion of cash as a means of payment in Europe has more to do with powerful lobbying interests than an inevitable move towards a digital society.
While relevant to the EU and beyond, the investigation focused mainly on Sweden, Germany, France and the Benelux countries. The project probed the role of the state in marginalising cash. Are changes to payment infrastructure driven by general public interest or by the interests of private enterprises? What are the implications for personal freedoms?
The project exposed a clash between data protection, democratic values and business interests. It showed that governments and the European Commission tend to favour economic priorities over privacy in the name of progress and competition.
Photo by naipo.de on Unsplash