A well-meaning "local currency" project seems to have total surveillance as a byproduct.

I can't understand how people who presumably do not like massive surveillance can set this issue completely aside when they judge projects and products that track people. If we want to continue having democracy, we must build systems that surveil less.

I was disgusted to see today that the only way to pay for street parking in Paris (at least on the street where I am staying) is with some sort of credit card. That tracks people's movements. Even if the card is not associated with any person, the system will record that the same person paid for parking in a series of places. This is creeping total surveillance, and we must hate every single step in this campaign against our rights.