September 10, 2004 3:45 AM PDT
PayPal to levy fines for gambling, porn
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The story "PayPal to levy fines for gambling, porn" published September 10, 2004 at 3:45 AM is no longer available on CNET News.
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I can understand PayPal's wishes to distance themselves from Online Gambling, Porn and Drug Distribution - However - Levying a fine against someone for spending THEIR OWN MONEY on an item they desire is simply wrong. PayPal is not the modern-day god of commerce they envision themselves as.
The finances contained in a persons account is theirs to spend as they wish - and no company or agency, regardless of their position in society, has a right to dictate what an individual can and cannot purchase with their personal finances. This is a non-negotiable point - argue amongst yourselves if you wish about this, it won't change the positioning of my statement.
When I work I get paid. When I get paid I deposit funds into an account - and when I want to buy an item, I don't ask permission from my bank first, it's just plainly understood that my money is mine to spend as I wish.
Now, if PayPal wants to levy fines against the BUSINESSES which use it's services to accept payments, that's an entirely different thing...but they make a decent ammount of money from their business transactions - so why would they slap down the vendor?
Looks like they just added an extra way to charge customers cash...They'll accept their percentage from both paties for the transaction, and then an extra fine if it's considered PayPal Contraband - against the person buying....
Perhaps our local police forces should throw people who buy illegal street drugs in jail and let the pushers run free too...Hey, if paypal is doing it, it must be the right thing to do!
To PayPal : Call your lawyers - you're bound to have some very angry people suing your pants off...You have no right to tell people how they can spend their money - you are the online equivalent of a bank - You CAN however deny your services to businesses who violate your TOS...But that's the sensible thing, and you're obviously not a very sensible company anymore.
I've already sent them my emails to that effect
Robert
Welcome to American, no way is this going to be a good think for paypal.
Hey cnet, please rank all the players in this market, like you do with mp3 players, so us the consumer can pick which service is best.
options available that won't be hacking into my info. Thanks for the headsup.