bank card reader app (for privacy and transparency) (slrpnk.net)

submitted 2 weeks ago by activistPnk@slrpnk.net to c/foss_requests@libretechni.ca

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Some ATM machines demand your PIN as the very first step. More privacy-respecting machines let you enter your order details first and PIN entry is the last step. So if the order cannot be filled (e.g. not enough banknotes, not the preferred denominations, no balance inquiry service, printer out of paper, etc), then you can get your card back without having the card read.

When the PIN is demanded 1st, we can only wonder what information is being collected and what is being needlessly sent over the network. Some machines apparently silently check your balance/credit line automatically (if it’s a legit purpose, perhaps it tries to avoid offering an preselected withdrawal amount that is over a limit).

Some ATMs will reject a card instantly, before entering anything. Then they report a bogus error (“card fault”), which would seem to violate the GDPR.

So this is why we need a FOSS app for smartcard readers. Something that will show you what information is available on your bank card without entering your PIN, and then show you what additional information is available using your PIN. Ultimately, it would be useful to know whether to reject ATMs that demand a PIN as a 1st step.

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this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2025

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Request creation of free software missing from the 🄯ommons 🗽🐧🐏

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This is a place to ask whether free open source software exists for a particular purpose. If it’s non-existent, specify your software requirements here so your dream can be well articulated for everyone to either laugh at or share the dream and give moral support for you to create it yourself. Or you might even to pitch the idea so well that a developer loves the idea enough to run off and build it for you.

No other community exists for this purpose but there are some loosely related ones. If existing software closely delivers what you need but is missing a feature, you might post a wishlist/feature request here or in !bugs@sopuli.xyz.

The FSF has a software directory that can help with finding software.

Loosely related decentralised communities generally for FOSS:

There is also foss@beehaw.org but I don’t recommend it because the mod is trigger happy with censorship. E.g. if you post about FOSS advocacy it will get removed as it does not relate to any particular FOSS application. There are also many more FOSS forums duplicated in centralised places which are not conducive to the digital rights spirit of free open source software, so they are omitted.

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