Everyone can see what you buy

The gamified web is here -- for better or worse.

Many people love to use the payment service Venmo, but they may be shocked to discover that everyone — from governments to individuals to companies — can see when they buy groceries and pay their rent. Every purchase is public by default. Venmo gamifies this experience, making it more fun for people to share their payment history with the world, but what are the consequences? How games are used online is the focus of a recent episode of Mozilla's IRL podcast. It looks at how gamification in tech can distract us from what we give away by playing. It's awesome for learning a new language or tracking workouts, but not so much when it keeps people mindlessly scrolling through photos for no particular reason — or giving away intimate financial details. You can learn a lot listening to IRL — a podcast about how online life affects your real life. We hope you enjoy it. LISTEN TO IRL MORE GOOD STUFF Ask Venmo to make all transactions private by default. Sign the petition » The Ringer's Alyssa Bereznak on the attention economy. Check it out » Learn about the history of games, gaming, and gamification. Read up here » Thanks for reading! You're receiving this email because we think you're neat, AND you subscribed to hear from us. If our emails aren't sparking joy, we'll understand if you unsubscribe. You can also update your email preferences at any time. Donate to Mozilla   |   Download Firefox 331 E. Evelyn Avenue Mountain View CA 94041 Legal • Privacy