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China Bans 23 Million From Buying Travel Tickets as Part of 'Social Credit' System (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the my-way-or-highway dept.

China blocked 23 million "discredited" travelers from buying plane or train tickets last year as part of the country's controversial "social credit" system aimed at improving the behavior of citizens. From a report: According to the National Public Credit Information Centre's 2018 report, 17.5 million people were banned from buying flights and 5.5 million barred from purchasing high-speed train tickets because of social credit offences. The report released last week said: "Once discredited, limited everywhere." The social credit system aims to incentivize "trustworthy" behavior through penalties as well as rewards. According to a government document about the system dating from 2014, the aim is to "allow the trustworthy to roam everywhere under heaven while making it hard for the discredited to take a single step." Social credit offenses range from not paying individual taxes or fines to spreading false information and taking drugs.

7 of 350 comments (clear)

  1. Once a 'bad kid', always a 'bad kid' by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That's what this bullshit sounds like: a bad parent, who never forgets anything bad their kid did, continually reminds them, and always suspects them before anyone else when something bad happens, always believes the so-called 'good kid'. 'Guilty until proven innocent'. You may as well just kill these people, it would be less cruel.

  2. Just a "21st century version" of ours by MikeRT · · Score: 5, Interesting

    1. There is no concept in modern America of "did the time, paid for the crime" with regard to social attitudes and how ex-felons can be treated.
    2. Say something "offensive" in public and watch a wild-eyed mob that makes a witch-burning look tame come after and try to make sure there is "no place in society" for you.
    3. Now corporations are getting in on the act with Chase locking accounts because the person was a Badthinker(tm).

    1. Re:Just a "21st century version" of ours by liquid_schwartz · · Score: 4, Interesting

      1. There is no concept in modern America of "did the time, paid for the crime" with regard to social attitudes and how ex-felons can be treated. 2. Say something "offensive" in public and watch a wild-eyed mob that makes a witch-burning look tame come after and try to make sure there is "no place in society" for you. 3. Now corporations are getting in on the act with Chase locking accounts because the person was a Badthinker(tm).

      It's amazing how much it's changed. I recall as a kid people being able to say just about anything. It got thrown in the category of "say what you want it's a free country". People wouldn't agree, they might call you an idiot, but nobody would track you down and try and get you fired. Gotta love "progressive justice" as shown here: https://www.nytimes.com/2009/0...

  3. Re:America has a similar system ... by andydread · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm sorry but please explain how any of those stops someone from getting on a train, bus, boat, or airplane in America? thanks.

  4. hmm by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Normally I'm all for bashing China, but

    Social credit offenses range from not paying individual taxes or fines to spreading false information and taking drugs.

    Seeing how we use actual prison for #1 and #3, and are working on it for #2, maybe they aren't as harsh as they sound with this ...

  5. 1984 by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Interesting

    China is fast approaching the level of control that Orwell's 1984 describes. We're close to one security camera per citizen. Add total control of Internet, be it fixed or mobile, by the state, as well as total control of social media and payment, and you already have a system that is virtually impossible to escape from.

    I am not fucking putting foot in the Peple's Republic of China. It jsut isn't happening.

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  6. Re:Discredited by AHuxley · · Score: 4, Interesting

    No cartoon bear jokes. No Emperor jokes.
    No 1989 Tiananmen Square protests links.
    Don't talk about term limits.
    No saying Taiwan is the real China.
    No to books like Brave New World, 1984 and Animal Farm.
    Dont go looking for quality anime & manga.
    Once seen and reported a person stays on the no travel, no education list.
    As the points go lower, more is restricted.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"