[snide]

For those interested in real world bitcoin ATMs and the often hilarious problems they can create, my friends at Tested.com made a great video.

It's a logical idea, but I've never seen ATMs and bitcoin really working well together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnm4xFC2xNo

[throwaway2256]

Wow, I've never seen a bitcoin ATM but I'm shocked at the creepy amount of data collection you have to undergo to use it.

Phone number? Okay I guess... A picture? Well, I don't like it but I guess most people won't have a problem with it. A drivers license? Ehhh... this is giving me the creeps. A hand scan? This is just getting ridiculous.

Thanks for that video, I am now no longer excited about bitcoin ATMs and know I will never use one.

[dochex]

There are lots of simpler ATM's, like the Lamassu that have not gone overboard with the ID stuff.

Of course, these are really just dispensers (or bitcoin vending machines) and only support a single transaction type.

[nvk]

In the USA yes, other countries don't have as many requirements. Most are just trying to keep track of legal day limits.

[throwaway2256]

Interesting, do you know of any ATMs in currently use that don't have these kinds of requirements? I love bitcoin but this machine leaves a lot to be desired.

EDIT, since I can't reply to nvk's message below mine: that link just has a bunch of press releases and a map, it does not help to answer the question of what identity requirements those ATMs have. Robocoin did not exactly advertise these requirements loudly in their PR either.

[TD-Linux]

I just visited a Bitcoin ATM at Hacker Dojo in Mountain View. It did not require any sort of identification whatsoever - it just took cash and gave you bitcoin, either on a paper wallet or a provided address.

[nvk]

There are a bunch here http://www.coindesk.com/technology/bitcoin-atm/

You can also look in the map http://coinmap.org/

And most of Coinkite's public retailer's that sell bitcoin https://coinkite.com/locations/