Människors inställning till kontantavvecklingen : En kvalitativ studie kring det kontantlösa samhället ur ett integritetsperspektiv

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study was to create understanding about how the reduction of cash affects societal ideas about integrity. We wanted to research human attitudes to the ongoing reduction of cash use in Sweden from a integrity perspective. The method used was a qualitative approach and the empirical data was collected using a focus group with students and three semi structured interviews in different branches of industry based on their way of working with and handling cash. Participating in the study was five students, a store manager in the grocery store business, an economic advisor at a bank and three investigators at the Swedish central bank. The result was analyzed using a theoretical foundation based on Georg Simmel’s work “The philosophy of money” and other socioeconomic research with a focus on the terms value, power and integrity. The results showed that people in the swedish society are aware and partially wary of the development towards a cash free society. Advantages that were illuminated was a reduced risk of robbery towards banks and businesses, less environmental effects due to reduced transportation and handling of cash, easier payments for consumers and increased profitability of card payments for businesses and a increased difficulty of usage of “black” money within the society. Negative aspects that were brought up were the issues of vulnerable groups in society that rely on cash, a fear that the development is moving too fast and that the society will be increasingly vulnerable when the payment infrastucrure relies on a single point of failure. The integrity aspects that the people in the study discussed showed that society is aware of the risks surrounding digital payments, but that the advantages outweigh the potential negatives, and that there is a strong trust in institutions and businesses in Sweden to not exploit their positions when it comes to the integrity of private individuals.