行動支付時代的到來，讓大多數人的生活更加方便，卻讓流浪漢的日子更難了——很少人會隨身攜帶零錢。
最近，在一個慈善項目的幫助下，英國牛津街頭出現了一批脖子上掛著二維碼的流浪漢。這個名為「Greater Change」的項目，得到了牛津大學和牛津大學賽義德商學院的支持。
Homeless people in Oxford are wearing QR codes to facilitate those who want to give donations via online payments.
The new charity scheme called Greater Change is backed by Oxford University Innovation and Oxford’s Said Business School.
「The problem we’re trying to solve here is that we live in an increasingly cashless society and as well as this when people give they worry about what this money might be spent on,」 Alex McCallion, founder of Greater Change, told the BBC.
The initiative was launched in late 2017 and is currently being trialed in Oxford.
He said that another motive was to help those in need save for long-term financial goals. How exactly does the charity scheme work?
Greater Change founder Alex McCallion sits in the Weston Library in November 2017. /Oxfordtoday Photo
路人可以通過「Greater Change」應用程式（也可以通過其他程序）掃描二維碼並轉帳後，錢會被打進「受限帳戶」。「Greater Change」為每個帳戶都配備一名管理人員，專門負責保證捐款用於規定用途（例如租房和獲得身份證明文件）。
此外，捐贈者還可以看到流浪者的信息，了解他們是誰，為什麼無家可歸，以及想把捐款用在哪。
A passerby without change could scan the QR code and transfer money through his or her mobile phone. The money donated then goes into an account managed by case workers, who make sure the donations are spent on agreed targets including a renting deposit and documentation like passports.
Donors could also glance over the homeless person's profile, which would provide information about how the money would be spent.
Benefactors could scan with any browser, but the Greater Change app is more convenient.
Donors can glance over a homeless person's profile via the Greater Change app. /Screenshot of the Greater Change app
有人說這是個「好主意」，可以讓路人不再因為沒有零錢而無法「獻愛心」。但也有人說，二維碼讓流浪漢看起來像是「商店的貨物」，因此這樣的行為有些「不尊重人」。
Opinions are divided regarding the new move.
「Necessity has again become the mother of invention and now there is an app to try and help generate more public donations to homeless people,」 said Neil Coyle MP, the Labour co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Ending Homelessness in the UK. 「This intervention should not be necessary but with a Government ignoring the scale of the problem, any extra donations may help homeless people directly.」
「Excellent idea. I rarely use cash any more and feel bad about saying I don't have any. Banks here in Australia take a big cut on cashless though so I don't know if there's a way around that,」 a netizen named "fabguy" commented on the Telegraph’s website.
Alex McCallion demonstrates how to use the wearable QR code. /BBC Photo
While the idea is being applauded, many disagree. 「I think it’s a bit weird to be honest, I’m not sure what difference it makes. It’s a bit like wearing a dog tag," one person told the BBC, referring to the idea of homeless people wearing barcodes around their necks.
「It's not enough to simply donate to them, there is someone assigned to ensure these adults 'spend their money correctly.' God forbid they might want to enjoy a drink like the rest of us,」 "Bec" said on the Telegraph’s website.
Is wearing a scannable QR code embarrassing for those receiving the donations? 「Yes, but never mind. If you are going to get what you need, it’s a good idea,」 a homeless person told the BBC.
在英國，名為「Big Issue」的雜誌也表示希望開通無現金支付渠道，幫助販賣該雜誌的流浪漢。
但這似乎都是「權宜之計」。工黨流浪漢問題全國議會小組聯合主席尼爾•柯伊爾告訴英國《電訊報》：「該應用程式（Greater Change）無法解決更廣泛的問題，如缺乏藥物、預防酗酒、經濟適用房和精神保健等。」
In China, beggars have used QR codes to receive donations for a few years.
In the UK, there are also people who have been offering an alternative to donors who rely on cards and mobile phone payments.
The Big Issue, a magazine sold by the homeless, promised to figure out cashless payments for its vendors.
「It is vital that we develop the right contactless solution for our vendors, ensuring that they can get instant access to their funds, even if they don’t have their own bank account due to a lack of permanent address,」 Russell Blackman, the managing director of the magazine, told the Creative Brief.
However, Coyle said the Greater Change app will not help address the broader issues such as a lack of drug and alcohol cessation programs, affordable housing and mental health care.