Social Credit Scores

China’s Social Credit System is the country’s national “blacklist” being developed by the government of the People’s Republic of China under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping’s administration.

What started as a experimental trials in 2009 has now led to country under total surveillance. Any resistance to the Chinese Communist Party, will result in a reduction of class, whether citizen or business.

“If you do not support CCP they will make you unsuccessful” stated a Chinese citizen.

Social Credit Systems may soon be coming to America. In fact, the injection of mandated vaccine passports into U.S. society, has already started to create a societal division, creating two classes of citizens: vaccinated and unvaccinated.

2009 – Human trial experiments begin

2011 – Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, formally announces “social credit scores” during one of the State Council Meetings, on October 20, 2011.

2014 – China launches a national initiative, marked by the development of eight new Chinese credit firms.

2018 – The idea for a social credit system becomes centralized under the People’s Bank of China, in conjunction with China’s eight new credit firms.

2020 – The Social Credit System is implemented. Intended to standardize citizens’ and businesses resistance of the state, crimes such as “jaywalking” result in the loss of 2 to 3 points.

2021 – Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) issues a blueprint for 2025 and the “construction of a rule of law society” in which the new social credit system is set to play an integral role.

China’s Surveillance and Facial Recognition Technology

China has mass surveillance and facial recognition technology that allows the CCP to monitor their every action, and adjust their social credit score accordingly.

Facial recognition software is implemented via surveillance cameras, and artificial intelligence, with technology planted throughout the country.

As technology grows, the Chinese government (CCP) is able to track more diagnostics about an individual. Big Tech database’s play a major role in the collection of information.

This is one of the reasons America regularly bans Chinese apps from hijacking personal data. When it comes to giving access to personal information, the Chinese Communist Party knows no boundaries. China uses this information to weaken America.

Mass surveillance cameras stacked together on street lights are a regular sight throughout China. The Chinese Communist Party uses various installations to observe every Chinese citizen’s behavior, and issue “corrective action” should they fall out of line, or choose not to comply. The cameras have extremely accurate facial recognition algorithms, which allow citizens to be monitored, and ensure they adhere to the communist regime’s rules. This score can detrimentally effect each citizen’s life, as well as the success of businesses.

Citizens in China know they are being watched at all times. Supporters feel that this creates a safer environment, where crime is less likely to occur. Critics, consider this an authoritarian move to enforce oppression among Chinese citizens.

This AI software provides the percentage likelihood that an individual’s face matches their identity logged into the database. In the photo below, a 90.2% chance that the individual found in the CCP database, is the same person being surveilled. It is with this technology China is able to enforce citizen’s “social credit score”.

How Does It Work?

The game of life. This surveillance technology allows the Chinese Communist Party to set the price of basic human necessities, such as medical care, bus fare. In addition these scores designate whether or not citizens have priority to China’s resources. In some cases, it will deny citizens from access altogether.

If a citizens commits acts of rebellion against the party, their score will decline. This ultimately means their life will become more difficult, and encourage them to fall to a lower ‘“social class”. Rather than having all citizens as equals, such as America, in China, those who do not commit a crime which is able to be arrested, will simply have a reduction in their quality of life. Citizens are discriminated upon based on their outlook towards the government. You’re either with the party, or against them.

At a maximum of 1300 points, high scores can lead to:

Priority for school admissions and employment
Easier access to cash loans and consumer credit
Deposit-free bicycle and car hire
Free gym facilities
Access to internet service
Cheaper public transport
Shorter wait times in hospitals
Fast-track promotion at work
Jumping the queue for public housing
The ability to travel abroad
Tax breaks

At a minimum of 600 points, those with lower scores—as a result of standing against the communist regime—can expect

Denial of licenses, permits, and access to some social services
Exclusion from book flights or high-speed train tickets.
Less access to credit
Restricted access to public services
Ineligibility for government jobs
No access to private schools
Public shaming1
- exposure online, and in public spaces on TV screens displaying the names, photos, and ID numbers of “blacklisted” citizens,
- exclusive phone dial tones mandated by authorities that inform people that they are calling a “dishonest debtor”

How is scoring based?

All Chinese citizens begin at 1000 points. The Chinese government intends to use this system to monitor, and regulate Chinese citizen’s behavior, as well as to exhibit in a pleasant, positive outlook towards the outside world, as well as the oppressive CCP regime. (the specifics are subject to change)

How to lose points: Those who do not support the CCP will pay more and have less access to resources. They may even be barred from public transportation and societal resources, such as private education.

Public Shaming – In addition, citizens are “publicly shamed” online and on public TV screens with photos and ID numbers of “blacklisted” citizens.

Traffic Offenses
- Drunk driving
- Jaywalking
Illegally protesting against authorities or the regime
Not visiting aging parents regularly
Posting anti-government, or anti-communist messages on social media
Spreading rumors on the internet
Insincere apologies for committed crimes
Participating in anything deemed to be a cult, including many forms of religion
Cheating in online games

How to gain points: Citizens who abide by these laws will receive early-access to resources, free facilities, and faster promotions at work. In addition citizens who participate will receive tax breaks, jumping to the front of the line in public housing, and shorter wait times at hospitals.

Engaging in charity work
Taking care of elderly family members
Positively influencing one’s neighborhood
Donating blood
Donating money
Praising the government, and the Chinese Communist Party regime on social media
Helping the poor
Having a good financial credit history
Committing heroic acts

What other data will influence social credit scores? China’s plan for total data control includes surveillance and assessment based upon,

Individuals –

name
age
sex
marital status
family planning
profession
court records
social security information
tax information
circle of friends
past payments
past comments on social media
consumer data
insurance data
driving habits
travel data
telecommunications data
workplace behavior
social platform behavior

Businesses –

product quality
unlawful behavior
compliance with the state
compliance with workplace standards
compliance with safety standards
staff compliance with company goals
environmental hazards

MERIC’s SoCS database2 contains national and provincial documents from State Council and Credit China document depositories, form communist China. Of all the mentions of target groups within the documents collected between 2003 and 2020, China’s social credit score will target,

73.3% of Companies
13.3% Government entities
10.3% Individuals
3.3% Social organizations

Conclusion

China sees a social credit system as a way to regulate societal behavior, while suppressing Chinese citizens desire to rebel against the government. With the rapid development of AI in China, the social credit system will soon be able to operate on its own, allowing China it increase the targeting of each sector of society (companies, government entities, individuals, social organizations, to one hundred percent. Could America see a social credit system emerge as CCP influence and communist ideology spreads throughout our nation?

What was originally considered “for your own good” will now demand Chinese citizens to unconditionally operate as an extension of the state. Could “vaccine passports” be the first implementation of a similar system in American society?