“If you’re concerned with Facebook knowing too much or having too much access to your private data or social graph, the GlobalCoin will give Facebook even more direct access to your financial information,”

This project is the antithesis of bitcoin and is another step towards total control of data and users.”

Bitcoin was “crypto” because the transactions were to be private. Facebook…crypto to you but no one else.

I am continually amazed to see what people use plastic to pay for. Alcohol for one. Credit card companies, the state (in PA), liqour control board (in PA) and who knows who else. One has to be very naive not to realize this is data banked.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/9319668/facebook-launch-libra-cryptocurrency/

FACEBOOK is launching cryptocurrency next year that will allow people to move money from their smartphone into a digital “wallet”.

The currency is known as Libra, which the social network says it has “no special role” in governing and will manage equally with a group of big companies.

Experts have branded the move a dangerous power grab that marks Facebook’s “most invasive” form of surveillance yet.

So far, Facebook has enlisted 28 firms, including Spotify and Uber, who each had to invest a minimum of £8million to be a founding member of the Libra Association, an independent not-for-profit membership organisation.

It wants to attract 100 businesses in time for launch, which it is aiming for the first half of 2020.

Libra is supported by a reserve of the world’s best assets and the world’s most trusted central banks, who gave the cryptocurrency “general cautious support”, according to David Marcus, who started exploring blockchain at Facebook a year ago.

“Libra holds the potential to provide billions of people around the world with access to a more inclusive, more open financial ecosystem,” he explained.

The social network is hoping that its collaborative approach can ease volatility concerns of existing blockchains and cryptocurrencies.

Facebook will operate its own digital wallet for people to spend Libra, known as the Calibra Wallet, which will be available in WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and as a standalone app.

Users will be able to send money to each other initially, at low to no cost, the social network said.

Eventually, it intends to open the Calibra Wallet up to additional services, so that people can pay bills, buy goods by scanning a code or accessing public transport…

Not everyone was singing the project’s praises.

Phil Chen, Decentralized Chief Officer at HTC, said the move was part of a “dangerous” power grab by Facebook.

“If you’re concerned with Facebook knowing too much or having too much access to your private data or social graph, the GlobalCoin will give Facebook even more direct access to your financial information,” he told The Sun. “It’s not just access to the information of your transactions, it’s direct access to your wealth and capital.
If the top-line question about Facebook and antitrust is about whether to break it up and spin off the likes of WhatsApp and Instagram – well this global coin is the most invasive and dangerous form of surveillance they have devised thus far. This will easily become the most dangerous antitrust case in history.
If this is launched and adopted worldwide, we’re bound to see Facebook as the top 10 biggest companies for the next 100 years that have complete ownership of the customer and their data from their social graph to every transaction recorded through Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
This project is the antithesis of bitcoin and is another step towards total control of data and users.”

Be seeing you