NextSharkNextShark.com

China to Ban People With Bad ‘Social Credit’ From Flights and Trains

China to Ban People With Bad ‘Social Credit’ From Flights and Trains

March 22, 2018
SHARE
China’s “social credit” system, which the government has said it is planning to implement sometime in 2020, is already slowly taking shape.
The National Development and Reform Commission reportedly announced via its website that beginning in May, individuals deemed to have committed serious acts of “dishonor” will no longer be allowed to travel on trains or flights for up to one year.
According to Reuters, a total of eight ministries signed the memo, including the country’s aviation regulator and the Supreme People’s Court. 
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Based on the announcement, infractions such as using expired tickets or not paying social insurance will warrant temporary bans on travel via airplane or train. Refusing to pay a debt or spreading false information about terrorism can also result in being one of the “discredited” members of society.
President’s Xi Jinping’s social credit system, which has drawn a comparison to the terrifying “Black Mirror” episode “Nosedive” about a dystopian future, is intended to penalize citizens who commit a variety of violations. Unlike the popular episode, however, it is the government which determines a person’s rating, instead of one’s social circle.
The policy has been explained to be based on the principle of “once untrustworthy, always restricted” as noted in one of its notices. Its system involves government bodies being able to share information on its citizens’ trustworthiness score and having the authority to issue what they may deem to be “appropriate” penalties.
This is made possible by the government’s highly centralized database of its citizens who are required to use their personal ID card number for tasks, such as booking a flight or even signing up for a social media account.
Featured Image (right) via YouTube/Netflix
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Ryan General

      Ryan General is a Senior Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.