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Here’s How China’s ‘Social Credit Score’ Punish And Reward Citizens, And It Sounds Like Dystopian Fiction
Dystopian future is here, and there’s literally no escape from it. While European countries fight for the safety of personal data on the Internet, China has adopted a Big Brother-style country-wide people tracking system. And we don’t mean the simple surveillance cameras as the Chinese took it to a whole another level with facial recognition and gait tracking so smart that you would never be able to cheat on.
Well, the tracking part might be counted as a security measure, but where the facial recognition software data is actually used is absolutely mind-blowing. The government records your credit history, fulfillment capacity, identity characteristics, social relationships, behavior and preferences, and based on your choices they will give you a social score from 350 to 950. If you fall into the ‘good citizen’ category with a score of more than 700, you’ll get better loan rates, you can skip queues, rent things without a deposit and even get better matches on dating sites. If you fall into the ‘bad’ category with lower scores you may be restricted from well-paying jobs, your kids will not be able to go to a good school and not only you’ll be banned from buying domestic flight tickets but also leaving the country. If that isn’t scary, we don’t know what is.
If you’ve read the dystopian fiction masterpiece by George Orwell called 1984, the eerie similarities will give you goose-bumps and probably some sleepless nights.
The future is now.
More info: imgur.com
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What do you think ?
Aaron Kara 7 years ago
Whats really worrying is that I think we're too distracted to do anything about it, that's what makes it so insidious, we're mollified by the idea that the technological age has connected us more, given us more choice when in fact its just the carrot before we get the stick. Another brick in the wall
Freya the Wanderer 7 years ago
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Fight back, demand laws that protect our privacy!
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ADHORTATOR 7 years ago
And there are still people saying "So what, I have nothing to hide...take my data!"
Nikki D 7 years ago (edited)
I first read about it yesterday and have had such a feeling of foreboding since
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Valinka 7 years ago
Makes me think of that "Black mirror" episode where the people "grades" other people, and only the highest scored are hanging out togheter, or allowed to live in certain places...super scary...
Nikol Böhmová 7 years ago
Yes... I just wanted to post this here... It was already scary in that episode. But not only that one, there were more antiutopic stories that people should learn from :/
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John Louis 7 years ago
Why does anyone doubt that those in power would abuse it and try to control its citizens. When has a select few of empowered men ever used that power to advance the freedom, dignity or economic mobility of those they control?
Crazy Cow Lady 7 years ago
And I thought having a credit score was agonizing enough. I can't imagine I'd be able to cut people out of my life because their score weren't good enough, especially if it was family.
Nikki D 7 years ago
I wonder what you do if it's a relative that is dragging your score down.......
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Martha Meyer 7 years ago
This system hasn't been implemented country-wide yet, but if it is a sucess for China, other countries with a wish to control their populace are sure to copy it. Modern technology has brought us many advantages, but as we can see, it's also a tool that can be misused in hitherto unimaginable ways.
mtvare 7 years ago
everything can be misused. even if we go back in stone age guy who invented longer spear could use it for hunting better or against neighbor. but sure, every innovation is letting governments of countries like china find terrific ways to use it.
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Thomas Es Thomas 7 years ago
Sounds a lot like the United States in the 1950s. Everyone had an FBI file, the government scrutinized everyone, and accused hundreds of thousands of people to be communists. Americans have also had credit scores for more than fifty years. Every non-cash purchase you make gets recorded. Search for a product online even once, and forever will it change your personal ads.
Aaron Kara 7 years ago
Whats really worrying is that I think we're too distracted to do anything about it, that's what makes it so insidious, we're mollified by the idea that the technological age has connected us more, given us more choice when in fact its just the carrot before we get the stick. Another brick in the wall
Freya the Wanderer 7 years ago
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Fight back, demand laws that protect our privacy!
Load More Replies... ADHORTATOR 7 years ago
And there are still people saying "So what, I have nothing to hide...take my data!"
Nikki D 7 years ago (edited)
I first read about it yesterday and have had such a feeling of foreboding since
Load More Replies... Valinka 7 years ago
Makes me think of that "Black mirror" episode where the people "grades" other people, and only the highest scored are hanging out togheter, or allowed to live in certain places...super scary...
Nikol Böhmová 7 years ago
Yes... I just wanted to post this here... It was already scary in that episode. But not only that one, there were more antiutopic stories that people should learn from :/
Load More Replies... John Louis 7 years ago
Why does anyone doubt that those in power would abuse it and try to control its citizens. When has a select few of empowered men ever used that power to advance the freedom, dignity or economic mobility of those they control?
Crazy Cow Lady 7 years ago
And I thought having a credit score was agonizing enough. I can't imagine I'd be able to cut people out of my life because their score weren't good enough, especially if it was family.
Nikki D 7 years ago
I wonder what you do if it's a relative that is dragging your score down.......
Load More Replies... Martha Meyer 7 years ago
This system hasn't been implemented country-wide yet, but if it is a sucess for China, other countries with a wish to control their populace are sure to copy it. Modern technology has brought us many advantages, but as we can see, it's also a tool that can be misused in hitherto unimaginable ways.
mtvare 7 years ago
everything can be misused. even if we go back in stone age guy who invented longer spear could use it for hunting better or against neighbor. but sure, every innovation is letting governments of countries like china find terrific ways to use it.
Load More Replies... Thomas Es Thomas 7 years ago
Sounds a lot like the United States in the 1950s. Everyone had an FBI file, the government scrutinized everyone, and accused hundreds of thousands of people to be communists. Americans have also had credit scores for more than fifty years. Every non-cash purchase you make gets recorded. Search for a product online even once, and forever will it change your personal ads.
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