Activists alter 85 BofA ATMs in SF to become "Automated Truth Machines"

Rainforest Action Network claims responsibility for the art-prank intervention.

RAN activists took to the streets of San Francisco last night and turned every Bank of America ATM in the city into an Automated Truth Machine. The activists used special non-adhesive stickers designed to look exactly like BoA’s ATM interface. But instead of checking and savings accounts, these new menus offered a list of everything BoA customers’ money is being used for, including investment in coal-fired power plants, foreclosure on Americans’ homes, bankrolling of climate change, and paying for fat executive bonuses.

(Via Mother Jones)

• [Joseph Finn]

  Well, that’s nice for customers simply trying to withdraw cash, deposit paychecks and get on with their day

  • [nzmrmn]

    Yes, it would be better if everyone remained in ignorance about how their money is being used to destroy the environment for this generation and generations to come. Bliss-like in fact.

    • [AlexG55]

      It may not be their money– you can get money out of any bank’s ATM regardless of which bank your money actually is in, even if it’s your local credit union.

    • [cleek]

      and clearly, breaking an ATM is the only way to accomplish the task.

      there is no such thing as a sign.

      • [JProffitt71]

        Yes non-adhesive (aka static-clinging) stickers are known for their resilience to our feeble human fingers.

        I am going to assume you did not read the article, and call you out on that.

      • [Thebes42]

        Clearly you didn’t read the story because no atm’s were broken or damaged.

        • [cleek]

          so, in order for this to be non-damaging because it’s non-permanent, the idea is that the first person who sees this defaced ATM will see this sticker, and will then remove it (otherwise, the ATM is unusable, hence damaged) ?

          or, will the person say “hey, some jackass stuck something over the ATM screen so i can’t use it?” and will then go elsewhere ? that’s effectively damaged.

          so either way, it’s a waste of time. and annoying. and stupid.

          great.

        • [Antinous / Moderator]

          I would just peel it down, use the ATM, and then put it back up. That’s like two seconds total.

        • [cleek]

          “I would just peel it down, use the ATM, and then put it back up.”

          why, because you want to inconvenience the next person ?

  • [kagil]

    They need to find a new bank.  BOA is so evil that it’s pretty much GOING to be the butt of jokes, protests, attacks, ect.  If they don’t want to be bothered, they should try a credit union.  I love mine.

  • [JProffitt71]

    Not buying it. It is not okay to abide the corruption of Bank of America, and I’d go as far as to say that it is our duty to our community to undertake the inconvenience of learning about and later leaving them.

• [Alpacaman]

  Concern trolls, assemble!

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    Concern trolls, assemble!

    How can they assemble when they have no way to get here because they have no money because somebody did something to the ATM???!!!???

    • [noah django]

      not sure if serious

• [tomangleberger]

  What is a non-adhesive sticker? If it does not adhere how can it be a sticker?

  • [Noctilucent Studios]

    Maybe they mean it will stick and then can be peeled off when needed…sort of like those stamps with the little flags on them.

  • [Rick Ahlgren]

    The fake screens are printed on film that adheres with static. Very easy to remove. No permanent damage done to the ATMs.

• [emjb]

  It was most likely one of those vinyl cling sheet thingies like the kind you put on your window for Halloween decorations…good for one use, doesn’t destroy the glass. This is pretty brilliant, and I really am not feeling any existential sorrow for mildly inconvenienced BofA customers.

• [Chuck Davies]

  That is awesome….now that’s american ingenuity! Viva RAN

• [KanedaJones]

  Actually kewl as a vinyl kling-sheet — the person who agrees and needs money peels it off to use the thing and reapplies.

  The person who disagrees peels it off and throws it away.

  Either way, point and performance art achieved, no harm done to anyone, including physical property of the corporation involved.

• [Phoc Yu]

  I’m disappointed this didn’t end up being about people who figured out how to hack the Diebold ATMs and changed the machines’ messages.

  • [Thebes42]

    Unlike Diebold’s voting machines, their ATMs are pretty robust in preventing “unauthorized” users.

• [Amanda *$]

  @AlexG55 Yes, people with accounts at other banks and credit unions CAN use BofA ATMs to access their funds – but BofA charges $2 – $3for the service and that money is going to BofA, not the account holders bank or CU

• [Thebes42]

  Wonderful act of cultural jamming.

• [xrayqueen]

  Can we next *Occupy* Blood Sucker’s aka Chase???? Good Job Peoples for Foregoing Sleep to Take a Stand!!!
  Better to do Something!!! Than be “Lamb’s” being led to Slaughter!!!!
  We bailed the bank’s out in ther time of need!!! All the American People have received is more creative method’s for the bank’s to parlay our few $$$’$!!!
  ~* I Voted 4 Change ~ Not 2 Spare-Change*~

• [bobagunoosh]

  BofA is now used by the Employment Development Department for unemployment/disabilities monetary disbursement. 

• [John Moser]

  They must not realize that BOA was a big contributor to President Toonces.