That argument makes no sense.. Presumably Seafile has other payment options that are not asking for the same level of access. I can't remember the last time people mentioned terrorists (or other criminals') bank accounts in the news other than HSBC who intentionally laundered drug money.
> Presumably Seafile has other payment options that are not asking for the same level of access.
They don't. If you look at the website now, they are offering their services for free temporarily, because they don't have any payment providers anymore. It seems Paypal was their only method of payment.
> I can't remember the last time people mentioned terrorists (or other criminals') bank accounts in the news
You might just need to look deeper. There was a Planet Money episode about how the IRS & DEA created an entire fake bank just to catch people laundering drug money:
> They don't. If you look at the website now, they are offering their services for free temporarily, because they don't have any payment providers anymore. It seems Paypal was their only method of payment.
This surprised me. The only time I've set up transactions with Paypal as the only option was when I didn't expect any transactions (a nonprofit that needed to have a public donation function for legal reasons, but actually got all its money from foundation grants).
As a user, I don't mind Paypal as an option, but when it's the only option it doesn't give a good impression.
Different companies have different risk profiles. A bank that operates entirely in one or two countries has a very different perspective than Paypal who operates in 200+ countries.
Just to give one example: If you sold a comic that was offensive to Muslims in the US, it might get on the news but would ultimately be permitted. If Paypal allowed it, they could get blocked from countries that are predominantly Muslim.
My bank offers international ACH, but only to Canada, Mexico, and Europe. I believe there is strength to limiting yourself to these. Paypal have chosen to operate as widely as possible, which can be a weakness in what they can allow
From what I've seen, it's generally far more expensive to do international banking in most countries. My bank will do it for places like the Phillipines, but only as an expensive wire transfer. I think if it were easy to offer low-cost banking, they would offer it.
