By 2020 Chinese Government has vowed to roll out the national
social credit system. The program was announced in 2014 and has been rapidly
implemented and piloted for millions of people already. Right now, it’s mostly
run by private tech companies with platforms that hold personal data. But also
sometimes by city councils. One such an example would be a city of Rongcheng where
every citizen is assigned 1000 points at the beginning. He or she receives
penalty points for breaking laws and regulations. While being rewarded for
exceptional good behavior. For example, for traffic ticket you lose five
points. Earn a city-level award, such as for committing a heroic act, doing exemplary
business, or helping your family in unusual tough circumstances, and your score
get boosted by 30 points. You can also earn credit by donating to charity or
volunteering in the city’s program. Depending on residents score they can rip
various benefits such as being able to rent public bikes without paying a
deposit and riding them for free for an hour and half or receiving $50 heating discount
every winter and obtaining advantageous terms on bank loans. In the case of
Rongcheng it’s precise in its punishment and generous in its reward. It deducts
points only for breaking the law. Other implementations of this program are
sometimes more vague. And rely on unspecified parameters.
The program will be made out of schemas of various sizes and
reaches, run by cities, government ministries, online payment providers, down
to neighborhoods, libraries and businesses. How exactly will it work and how
interconnected will it be is unknown. Most controversial example of program so
far is blacklist of 170,000 defaulters who are barred from buying high-speed
train or airplane tickets or staying in luxury hotels as a means to pressure
them to repay their debts. Another example would be the credit system in
Alipay, most popular payment method, that decides your score based on what it
deems proper behavior. For example, buying diapers as opposed to buying a lot
of video games, which may be counted against you.
Despite the Orwellian appearance of the system, and being
called “chilling” by Human’s Rights Watch, some citizens claim it’s making them
a better people already. Some that their quality of life has increased. They
don’t see any downsides to the program and have no privacy-related concerns. The
government has learned what is palatable to the public and proceeds cautiously
with implementation of the program.
Interviews with random Chinese people:
Questions:
1. Would you like to see this kind of program implemented
where you live or perhaps variant of it? If so in what form?
2. What are possible downsides to such system you can think
of? What about advantages, and would they be worth it?
3. Can you think of something that resembles, even tiny bit,
this program in a place where you live? What is it?
Sources:
Comments
In my opinion, in the future, two things are becoming more important in mobiles, mobile battery technology, and bringing camera quality closer to real life.
In my opinion, the quality of professional cameras with professional lenses is far higher than mobile cameras.
2. As for me, the lack of such a system as in China, is that there are few ways to earn points, but there are a lot of fines. In my case, everything triples, but probably there are people who do not need diapers yet, but there is time for video games, so why should they lose points because their needs do not seem important or charitable to the state. Of course, there are advantages, I think that people who need scores, will follow the rules in society and engage in charity. Such a law makes it possible for one to become a law-abiding citizen independently and to use money intelligently.
3. Probably, as I said, in Poland it is a tax. The more you earn the more you pay the tax. And offenses on the road or on the street may deprive me of the opportunity to travel abroad, but this is all regulated in Poland by the police.
No, because it brings even more inequality in our life, you should watch black mirror episode on that theme.
2. What are possible downsides to such system you can think of? What about advantages, and would they be worth it?
I think there is only downsides of this approach.
3. Can you think of something that resembles, even tiny bit, this program in a place where you live? What is it?
I don't how to apply this program and don't violate human rights.
2. There are so many disadvantages that ill skip this part. Regarding advantages, In a short run stability of internal politics, fully targeted marketing campaigns for Chinese companies, and better governmental investments.
3. There is nothing that resembles that system here where we live. This is so absurd that even proposing such an idea would lead to huge protests and riots.
First of all, the main disadvantage of this system is the total control of citizens by the government. Tracking their every step. Personally, I also think that the system of penalties and rewards makes us do something not because we like it and want it, but because it pays off or doesn’t. I think that such a system kills the joy of life. However, the positive aspect of it, is the fight against crime and breaking the law. Despite everything, I think that it is not worth it.
I think that the closest to this system is Facebook app, in which you get nice and positive comments for good posts, and you get bad comments or get rid of friends for publishing something that is not nice or not good.
2. I don't really know, I agree with my colleagues that there are bigger amount of disadvantages, but I can surely say about any advantage.
3. No, I think this program won't be useful in Poland.
So I think, what the difference between what we do and what Chines government offers? Only one thing, it will be a mandatory thing for everyone like you evaluate another person or not.
I think downsides of such system are perfectly shown in quite famous series "Balck mirror"
Nope, in place where I live there is nothing like that
No, it's a limitation to human freedom and it gives too much control for the government in my opinion.
2. What are possible downsides to such system you can think of? What about advantages, and would they be worth it?
For me there are no advantages, and I think it shouldn't be "implemented" in our country.
3. Can you think of something that resembles, even tiny bit, this program in a place where you live? What is it?
I don't know anything about it