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UK military jamming other nations' satellites to defend itself, BBC told

171 points · 213 comments · thm

  1. autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
    > Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said daily lives depend on satellites that power everyday technologies like mobile phones and banking apps, adding the loss of GPS would cost the UK economy £1.4bn a day.

    Oh no! Not our precious banking apps! What a weird thing to call out specifically. It's also kind of strange to talk at such length about how critical satellites have become to people's lives, national economy, emergency services, and people's "daily freedoms", only to conclude with "So now we're using ground-based systems to take out the satellites other countries depend on for all of those things"

    1. jameshart · · focus · HN ↗
      In a largely cashless society like the UK, ‘banking apps’ are effectively people’s wallets. Knowing you got paid, being able to pay your rent, being able to pay for goods and services… seem like pretty everyday concerns.
      1. autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
        All of that can be handed via your bank's website, ATMs, a credit card, or even (god forbid) writing a cheque.
        1. carlosjobim · · focus · HN ↗
          Do people write cheques in the UK?
          1. mcintyre1994 · · focus · HN ↗
            I’m in my early 30s and I don’t think I’ve ever written one. When I had my first bank account when I was maybe 10 I was given a cheque book, I don’t know where I’d get one now. I did recently receive a cheque for $12.99 or something like that from an Amazon settlement that I think is probably legitimate. Apparently Monzo can cash a cheque through their app so I’ll try that at some point. I’m guessing it won’t work with an international one though.
            1. autoexec · · focus · HN ↗
              > when I was maybe 10 I was given a cheque book, I don’t know where I’d get one now.

              I'm guessing you'd walk into your bank and ask for one. You can probably order one from their app somewhere.

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