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Immigration Reform

Even before the Coronavirus pandemic had us thinking about everything we touch – including the coins and bills in our pockets – some businesses moved away from accepting cash as payment. With the rise of digital currencies like Bitcoin and SmartPay apps, many people don’t carry cash like they used to. As more people shop digitally and wallets move to smartphones, should we ditch cash altogether and become a cashless society?

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The Pros And Cons Of Moving Toward A Cashless Society

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Additional resources to think about

Cities And States Are Saying No To Cashless Shops
A 3-minute listen from ATC about how some cities and states are preventing businesses from going cashless – and protecting their most vulnerable citizens.  Sweden’s Cashless Experiment: Is It Too Much Too Fast?
A 4-minute radio story from ATC about how Sweden’s drop in cash usage has both pros and cons for its society.  Millions choose a cashless lifestyle
An article from BBC News about many people in the UK are already living without cash.  For Many Germans, Cash Is Still King
An article from NPR’s European bureau about the backlash toward a cashless society in Germany.  How The Coronavirus Is Changing Countries’ Relationships With Money
This article from U.S. News & World Report talks about the changing attitudes toward cash transactions as the world battles the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic. Going cashless during the COVID pandemic  makes life even more difficult for the 14 million unbanked Americans
This article from MarketWatch talks about the implications of the move toward cashless business on unbanked Americans as cash transactions decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. CASHLESS BUYING BIAS? | MetroFocus  
A 9 minute video that talks about the impact of a cashless society on people living in poverty and the “unbanked’ population.  What does a cashless future mean?
This video from The Economist talks about what it means and the costs of going cashless – including large-scale hacks and government surveillance of citizens’ spending and money habits. CHAPTER 2: THE UNBANKED 
This 2017 report from The World Bank uses data visualization to bring stories of the unbanked to show where, why, and how people remain unbanked. The report also includes important data on who is unbanked and why. 

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