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Showing posts from February, 2020

Digital signature - There is no such thing as THE digital signature

In the current digital world, we are   continuously digitally transacting   with companies all over the world. Each transaction leaves a   digital trace , allowing the company (in case of litigation) to prove you, as the user, have explicitly accepted the transaction. However, as you have probably noticed while surfing on the internet, confirming a transaction can go from a single mouse-click up to a lengthy process flow, requiring actions like a complex authentication, delivery of one or more proof documents, one or more physical (non-digital) steps…​ This difference is almost always resulting from a conscious decision in a   compromise between usability and operational risk   (i.e. risk for litigations, fraud risk, reputation risk…​). Ideally a company would like to achieve the best possible user experience, combined with the lowest possible operational risk, but that is unfortunately not possible. An electronic signature, which is accepted by law as a   binding contract

What is more excessive: regularly taking taxis or possessing your own car?

In Belgium owning a car is still something to aspire. A symbol of freedom to go where you want, whenever you want. The generation of the millennials seems however to make a shift. Often living in the (large) cities, they prefer to make use of the different available public and sharing mobility options (public transport, ride/car sharing, bike/step/scooter sharing…​). A whole mobility eco-system is rising around this evolution: Route planners   taking into account these alternative ways of transportation: e.g. Skipr or Jeasy (e)Bike, (e)Step and Scooter   sharing services : (e)Bike: Jump, Villo!, Billy Bike, Blue-bike, Fietspunt, Velo, Cloudbike, Spinlister (e)Scooter: Scooty, Felyx (e)Step: Dott, Lime, Troty, Bird, Circ, Poppy Car rental : Sixt, Rentalcars.com, AutoEurope, Avis, Rent A Car…​ Car sharing : Cambio, Partago, Zipcar, Poppy, stapp.in, CozyCar…​ Car pooling : Taxistop, Eventpool, Karzoo, BlaBlaCar, Toogethr …​ While these are goo

Financial inclusion - A word with many meanings

In recent years, the   usage of the term "Financial Inclusion" has risen exponentially . As with any buzzword, it is used and   misused   by many companies to boost their corporate image and get support from different governments (e.g. subsidies). As with so many buzzwords, the term has become so much   overloaded , that it now encompasses a wide variety of initiatives. Very broadly, it includes a range of financial and non-financial products and services to   combat financial exclusion . This exclusion can have many faces and degrees: In   developing countries , financial exclusion usually means   unbanked , i.e. people   not having access to a bank   or more specifically to a bank account. Such an account allows to store money and send and receive payments. This lack of access can be caused by a lack of knowledge (banking services not simple enough) or general distrust (banking system not considered safe and sustainable enough) in the financial system, banks