Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect most people who have their Venmo public don't realize it.

I didn't! When I started using it, it was so infrequent that I didn't really think about it. Then I saw a similar post to this one and was like..."ohhhh. I bet mine is public". It's private now

This was me too -- very infrequent use and not realizing you had to set it to private. Then one day I logged in because I was selling a dresser on Facebook and the first three transactions in the top of my feed were things that felt weird for me to see -- a series of transactions from a friend that seemed like they should be private. That stirred me to actually look and see if my own transactions were private and learn they weren't and fix it.

I do wonder why others don't have this epiphany sometime. I also don't go scrolling the feed looking at people's business but when I go on Venmo 4-5x a year I do see transactions just by virtue of opening the app and checking to make sure something went through or looking up someone's contact info. It's so odd to me that more people don't see this and think "huh it's weird I can see that" and then look to see if their settings are private.

I guess maybe people are kind of immune to privacy invasions at this point because social media is so public generally. Though it also seems like there was a wave of people making Facebook and Instagram accounts more private about 5 years ago so it's not like people are totally unaware. I still find myself suprised when I discover a parent I know has a public instagram account where the post photos of their kids. But a lot of people do it! Different strokes I guess.

When I see public feeds, for the most part I assume that people either don't realize their feed is public or don't care enough to change it. maaaaaybe with one person I think she's got it public on purpose.

The Atlantic just published on article on this OP. You are not alone.

It has quite literally never crossed my mind to scroll through the feed and see what people are paying each other for. I don't even pay attention and look when it pops up on the screen. Who cares.

Anonymous wrote:I suspect most people who have their Venmo public don't realize it.

I didn't! When I started using it, it was so infrequent that I didn't really think about it. Then I saw a similar post to this one and was like..."ohhhh. I bet mine is public". It's private now

Anonymous wrote:It escapes me why people make their Venmo transactions available for other people to look at.

Yeah I know the default is public but this blows my mind. Why would you not make these private?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It escapes me why people make their Venmo transactions available for other people to look at.

It is really super weird.

+1.

I hate that Venmo does this. Why? I have all mine set to private but I have like 3 friends who don't and I see all their venmo business. Its so stupid. But I totally understand why OP feels the way they do. Its just another social media outlet. Try to ignore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It escapes me why people make their Venmo transactions available for other people to look at.

It is really super weird.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It escapes me why people make their Venmo transactions available for other people to look at.

So they can show how busy and social they are.

There is seriously no other reason.

I think this is true for most of the people who have it set to public. There might be a small number who don’t realize it, but I think most just want to be seen.

I have my venmo set to private and got a message that said something like “make your payment public to help tell your friends about the business.” It did not persuade me.

Sounds like you need some new hobbies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is that weird?

I just went on Venmo to pay my son’s math tutor, and I saw one of my work friends pay another work friend for lunch. They obviously had lunch together today, and I got a little pang that they didn’t invite me. I mean, it’s not like I invite all of my colleagues every time I have lunch out. It’s fine. But I was kind of jealous.

Anyone else feel this way? Am I crazy?

You must be crazy. It's obviously why they don't like you and leave you out of the lunch groups. There is pribably a group chat you are not included in too.

Wow. You must be in a bad place today to troll OP like this. Please go outside and get away from your screen for a bit for some fresh air.

Anonymous wrote:It escapes me why people make their Venmo transactions available for other people to look at.

So they can show how busy and social they are.

There is seriously no other reason.

Anonymous wrote:Is that weird?

I just went on Venmo to pay my son’s math tutor, and I saw one of my work friends pay another work friend for lunch. They obviously had lunch together today, and I got a little pang that they didn’t invite me. I mean, it’s not like I invite all of my colleagues every time I have lunch out. It’s fine. But I was kind of jealous.

Anyone else feel this way? Am I crazy?

Yeah, that's weird and not normal.

I suspect most people who have their Venmo public don't realize it.