In China, Even the Beggars Take Mobile Payments
The practice of begging is almost as old as civilization itself. For as long as there’s been money to use for goods and services, there have always been those without it, and those unable to land any by fair or foul means. In a surprising new development, begging has advanced with the times as well, particularly in China, where the local down-on-their-luck segment has gone cashless to respond to the growth of mobile payments.
That’s right; beggars in China actually accept mobile payments. More specifically, they have a quick response (QR) code somewhere near or on them. Some have it in a small laminated card hanging from their necks, others put it on conveniently-placed nearby signage, but it’s all designed to take advantage of the growing move toward mobile payments in China.
Some reports even suggest that this isn’t so much an attempt to have alms flow into their pockets so much as it is a corporate maneuver. China Channel, a Chinese digital marketing firm, noted to the International Business Times that the beggars are in some cases paid by local businesses to promote the use of QR codes and to get passersby to scan these.
It’s like the sandwich board wearers of the late 19th / early 20th centuries, with the difference that those who chip in end up leaving their WeChat ID behind, and such are sold to small businesses as advertisement fodder.
It’s that kind of behavior that ultimately led to anti-spam laws and the federal Do Not Call list in the United States. While it’s likely working for Chinese businesses right now, it may not continue to do so forever before the Chinese citizenry calls in some kind of support from the government. Given how the People’s Bank of China has been pursuing mobile payments anyway thanks to its recent move to open up the payment data to just about every company anyway, it wouldn’t be outlandish to see the Chinese government make another limiting move in favor of “protecting privacy.”
It’s good to see people advancing with the times, even if no one really wants to see public begging, and the potential for misuse of information. This is a mixed blessing at best, and one that might be in for some serious change in short order.