In a social credit system, who sets the bar? Who determines what is a positive point and what is a negative point? There is no way to have such a system without prejudice towards one group or the other. Does it change as political administrations change? Even though it is implemented to some degree regarding credit score and background checks, it could get very intrusive and really bad really fast. For me, I would find it a wee but of a Hitler move.
Beth.. Thank you for that.... While I cancelled Netflix when I got fire tv, I was able to access and watch the entire movie, which I hadn't seen, on this free link.... https://impaled.ws/movies/the-great-hack-2019/ ... and just finished watching the 2 hour movie. .... A great intro into a discussion of Social Credit System. The ugly side... which may be what this turns out to be. I am torn... our current place in society, versus a big Brother State? Not as easily sloughed off as it seems at first glance. My concern is that we are already there... Can we turn our heads from what already exists??? or... possibly to acknowledge it and accept it as a way towards a better future? Too soon to tell... @ age 83, am not likely to be around to see what will happen, but I realize that it's not going to be easy to push back against a growing tide. The single best hope that I have, is that the control of Social Credit is recognized, and not kept under the radar. What we can see, we can deal with...
Well, just a few years ago when some conservative groups applying for a 501C-3 were reportedly denied their permit because they “might” have some affiliation with the Tea Party movement. The basics are that the Treasury Department targeted those and any other group that was anti-Obama. Key words in the application such as Tea Party and Patriot was supposedly enough to raise the eyebrows of the IRS. Of course, we have found out since then that some 250 liberal groups were also flagged using the key words progressive and green energy. But the bottom line, staying on topic, is that the government is already in control to a very large extent. How exacting or rather, “choosy” the government is does definitely depend on who’s making the rules at the time. Now, let’s take the information highway just a bit further. How much of your personal information is for sale? All of it. Who uses our information? Anyone who wants to. Every time you use your Kroger rewards card, you’re being tracked. Every time you give that phone number as a reference at Harbor Freight, Home Depot or Lowes, you’re being tracked. There are some entities including our good ol’ U.S.A government who know more about each of us than we can remember about ourselves. To me, the Chinese are no different than our own government when it comes to the information highway. They’re just expanding on said information and are on the fast track to being a cashless society under the thumb of whoever pushes the buttons.
Bess... Interesting and on the subject for me. Just a bit different time frame... Hitler began his work in 1918, and only came to the fore in the early 1930's . The part that concerns me, is the current time frame. Happening in a few short years. Not yet discussed, the 24/7 possibilities of video and facial recognition. To watch the speed of the concern over this, "Google" news for Chinese Social Credit System and then look at the number of "new" articles... posted in just the last day or week. Current "hits" for the subject total 245,000,000 as of right now. I hope we can discuss the subject with respect to education, business, governmental structure... and the myriad parts of our life today, and where we may be in the coming five years. ...................................................................................................................................................................................... Just imagine... even today, before it becomes more organized.... For an initial $25, I can legally find your name, where you live, where you work(ed), your relatives, your great grandparents name and much of their history. By putting 2 and 2 together your Facebook name, on-line habits, and much more. Even 7+ months ago, this was happening in China:
I don't care what they do in China. It's a communist country. Nothing really surprises me. I'm sorry for the people stuck living there. However, this is the United States. I don't care if they track me, makes lists of my purchases or frown upon my church attendance or voting choices. What is NOT acceptable, is having a point system assigned to an individual based on these choices. You can't value or disvalue a human being based on a point system. Again, who is in charge of the point roster? Who decides what individual choices makes a person better or less than another person. It's a stupid thought. It's unGodly and wrong.
A point system... Murder higher than an overtime parking ticket, speaking of which, the current government discussions about rehabbing a prisoner who has served his/her term... a kind of social credit system. Definitely off-topic, but an interesting side note for those who do not follow Chicago crime. 43 shootings and 7 killings over the past weekend, and not many more than on any weekend. See this: https://www.chicagotribune.com/data/ct-shooting-victims-map-charts-htmlstory.html Not noted in the article, but a major part of criminal investigations in the city, is the use of street and business video cameras. A definite "Big Brother Watching"... that is becoming increasingly effective. Facial recognition and number plate identifications are helping to solve many crimes. Even in our almost crime-free city, most stores use 24/7 cameras. Consider how easy it would be to place cameras on thruways, and send out automatic fines for speeding. Good?.... Bad...? How about investing... would you know that the guy who is advising you has a record of financial scams? What about a a child molester? etc., etc. ... and then, there are more "judgements" that may or may not be part of the system... What about work records? Education levels, promotions/demotions, health conditions, family situations, moral standards.... and on... The Chinese system purports to establish norms that would guide individuals to be better persons, citizens. To be sure... I haven't decided.... but before it gets out of control, and just "happens"... I would like to understand more. Sometimes, we, as a nation are affected negatively by governmental or political decisions that are made without the "consent of the governed". Since we are already on the way to a social credit system in many areas, it seems to me that we shouldn't make positive or negative judgements, without understanding, (and knowing) the longer term implications. In our CCRC, there are perhaps 350 persons who will vote in the next election, but who haven't watched or read anything at all about the candidates or their positions. I am equally convinced that a fairly high percent (even 5%) of people who will vote, will not know what they are voting for. In the case of a social credit system that already has a basis in action, it seems to me that there is a lot more to be learned.
Here is a sum of the major worries about where the Chinese Social Crest System is headed.... note the Chinese goal of 2022. Japanese media concerns. Presenting concerns that the program is much more scrambled and disfunctional than what we've seen in the U.S. media.
I think in America for this type of control over the lives of people to happen our government would have to be the main/major support system. As I listen to the progressive agenda by some of the democratic hopefuls for the presidency, that agenda sounds suspiciously like an attempt to become the main/major support system.
OP mentioned AI, as a major part of the "System"... This is an article from AXIOS that digs in deeper. This is only the beginning of what I believe we'll be seeing over the next year.
Well if the supposed champions for the underdogs of society suddenly low ball / rate their voters, they would be left with quite a small constituency. Or would only conservatives get the boot? It's hard to believe we have a society stupid enough to let that become a reality, but then again, there are people who rate their lives by the number of facebook / instagram friends they have.
I think most of us are aware that politicians are not able to meet all their campaign promises. If it could be done, someone would've already done it. The sad part in Obama's case was that the very people who never believed in ANY politician, did believe in him. His track record really wasn't worse than most presidential candidates, but his failures probably felt more disappointing to those who really believed he could move the moon for them.