We’re living in an age where every tap and every swipe can feed the data collection practices of Big Tech giants. Smartphones have become integral to our daily transactions, highlighting the growing need for secure, privacy-respecting payment solutions.
Google Pay might appear convenient, but it comes at a significant cost: your personal data. Every transaction provides yet another data point, further fueling Google’s extensive data-driven business model. Murena and /e/OS provide a degoogled, privacy-first alternative. Yet, until recently, privacy-conscious users faced challenges accessing mainstream payment services without compromising their values.
Contactless payments: convenience shouldn’t compromise Privacy
Contactless payments have become a common practice, transforming our shopping experiences. However, this convenience shouldn’t necessitate surrendering our privacy. Users of Murena smartphones, equipped with the privacy-focused /e/OS, have historically faced barriers in accessing popular contactless payment methods. Google’s widespread monopoly often pressured users to compromise their privacy principles.
“Curve” offers an effective alternative
Fortunately, new solutions like “Curve”, a European (EEA + UK) fintech provider, offer practical options for Murena users. Curve enables users to securely link their VISA or Mastercard and make payments conveniently via their smartphones without relying on Google Pay. While Curve itself may not be entirely flawless in terms of privacy, it significantly reduces exposure to invasive data collection.
Furthermore, /e/OS’s built-in Advanced Privacy feature effectively blocks trackers embedded in apps like Curve. Our tests confirmed Advanced Privacy successfully prevented Curve’s six trackers from collecting user data, ensuring transactions remain aligned with the user’s privacy-focused values.
Curve was successfully tested with several banks on VISA and Mastercard, for contact-less payments in stores:
If you know about other similar alternatives (not to be confused with digital wallest that just record cards informations), please report them and we will share!
“Zettle”, and others, for merchant payments
For merchants using Murena smartphones running /e/OS, PayPal’s Zettle provides a solid, practical payment solution. Zettle enables smartphones to function as contactless payment terminals, a method tested successfully on Murena Fairphone 4 with /e/OS. Zettle allows merchants to securely and efficiently manage transactions without reliance on Google’s payment ecosystem.
/e/OS’ Advanced Privacy has found (and blocked) two trackers in the running Zettle app: Firebase Analytics and Paypal.
Setting up a payment request on Zettle.
Zettle app connected to the Zettle terminal to accept a contact-less payment. This is running on a Murena Fairphone 4.
Other Payment Alternatives
Additional practical alternatives worth exploring include:
- SumpUp: affordable terminals compatible with Murena smartphones, ideal for small businesses.
- myPOS: An integrated payment system supporting various European payment methods.
- … others? Please tell us!
These solutions may not guarantee absolute anonymity, but each alternative significantly reduces reliance on Google Pay, allowing users to maintain greater control over their data.
Our goal: moving beyond Google Pay
Ultimately, our goal is clear: reduce reliance on Google Pay until it becomes unnecessary. We aim to empower users with secure, practical payment solutions that respect their privacy.
By adopting alternatives like Curve and Zettle, Murena and /e/OS users can enjoy the convenience of modern payments without compromising their principles, and therefore help fighting against the net giants monopolies.
Together, let’s reclaim control over our digital lives!
Disclaimer: Murena and /e/OS don’t have any link or partnership with the products tested or listed in this article, neither do I. However we’re open to collaborations if they align with our principles about Privacy and personal data protection.
— Gaël Duval, CEO and Founder of Murena and e Foundation.
Follow me on Mastodon @gael@mastodon.social . Also on some other social networks.
Image attributions:
- illustration picture by GPT4 and Gaël Duval
- other pictures by Gaël Duval