Block Widget Displaying Balance

Feedback & Ideas
1

I propose a feature to allow users to block the widget from showing my balance without explicit approval from myself.

Monzo allows anyone with access to my phone to see my balance from the home screen by force touching the app icon, or enabling the widget. No authentication with Monzo was required to allow this.

This is seriously stupid on Monzo’s part. This should need to be enabled in the Apps settings before one can access this info.

I have to authenticate to open the app, and see my balance, it should be no different to enable the widget.

2

I get this:

image

But I also don’t have authentication turned on to access the Monzo app. My phone lock is the security, once I’ve unlocked my phone I just want easy access to my apps.

3 Likes
3

Anyone can click “Got It” without any sort of authentication

1 Like
4

Harsh.

I don’t get the lengths some want to go for privacy. I’ve had a mobile phone since they were invented and no one has ever been near my phone in this way. If they did, seeing my bank balance would not be what worries me.

5 Likes
5

What harm would it be to require authentication in app before the widget could be enabled? It would
be a one time toggle

6

None at all. It doesn’t worry me (except for the toggle proposal. Either require it or don’t.) I don’t see it has to be “stupid” just because it’s not not universally applauded, though.

7

If one enables authentication required to open the app then no information should be available without authentication

1 Like
8

I’m not disagreeing but I did misunderstand your toggle point. You mean toggle the widget on and off in the app.

I read it as toggling security for the widget on and off meaning a two stage process. I’m with you now.

9

Exactly. It should not be able to be enabled without explicit authenticated permission in app.

10

Part of me wants to vote for this cos it seems like a reasonable request.

But the larger part of me won’t because you don’t seem to use reasonable language.

Dial down the rhetoric and you might not immediately set off on the wrong foot. This is NOT “seriously stupid” it’s likely a standard widget setting that Monzo added.

Caveat: You don’t have to use the widget.

7 Likes
11

It is not possible to disable the widget. So you do have to use it.

It isn’t a standard setting. You edit all widget contents via apps, Monzo made a conscious decision not to do this.

12

I don’t get the issue to be fair, don’t pass your phone out to people if you don’t want them seeing sensitive information. If you’re that hung up on security then your phone will already have a screen lock to stop people using it and then won’t be given to anyone else unlocked

1 Like
13

If someone you don’t trust is past your phone’s encryption and adding widgets you don’t want them to, you’ve got bigger problems than your bank balance being visible.

3 Likes
14

Also don’t see the issue.

Someone might see that I have £12 in my account… big deal. I’d be more concerned with how much they’re in my personal space to be able to read this in a split second before I lock my phone again.

Also. Any substantial amount of money will be in a pot or another account and will therefore not be seen :man_shrugging:

3 Likes
15

As a comparison, I’ve just force touched my other banking apps (for the first time!).

Nationwide allows me to see the balances on all my accounts, but only after Face ID authentication.

Santander shows my current account balance with no authentication.

TSB shows nothing.

3 Likes
16

Can you open Santander app without authentication?

17

I have enabled a setting which requires authentication to open the app. This is a useless setting if there is a backdoor to my information.

18

Your browsing history however :wink::joy:

4 Likes
19

You’ve cherry picked from my comment the bit that suits you most, so once again

If you’re that hung up on security then your phone will already have a screen lock to stop people using it and then won’t be given to anyone else unlocked

1 Like
20

On a side note is the widget iPhone only as it doesn’t show up as an option on my android device :thinking: