….So far around 4.5 billion people around the world use the internet and most have social media accounts.
A fairly scary survey found that two thirds of individuals are willing to share information about themselves or others to get a shopping discount while half are willing to do so if it helps them skip queues at airports. One in two individuals say they are happy for the Government to monitor everyone’s social media behaviour if it means keeping the public safe.
Of course, it will be impossible to find out what your social credit score is, to find out exactly how scores are made up or to correct any error. And scores will be changed in real time. So you could join a queue thinking you are entitled to hire a car or board a train and find, when you get to the front of the queue that your rating has changed and you can’t do either of those things.
Governments, big companies and local authorities are already gathering information about you from facial recognition cameras, biometric studies at airports, drones, surveillance planes and social media. This is the technocratic state in full fly. Using a silly name or avatar on social media will provide you with absolutely no protection. They know exactly who stinkyfeet of Weymouth really is and they know the name, address and inside leg measurement of bumfluff from Colorado.
You can forget about privacy, freedom or rights. …
Geotracking is the new normal now. Your financial records are combined with your criminal record, academic record, medical record and shopping patterns. They’re keeping an eye on the type of friends you have, the videos you watch, the people you date or marry or meet.
This is Big Brother on speed
In the brave new world, those with a low credit score won’t be able to move an inch.
…
I leave you with this fact.
There are public loos in China which won’t let you in without first checking your face and identifying you. Only then will the machine dispense the small quantity of loo paper you are allowed.
How many sheets will you be allowed if you have a low credit score? Two? One? None at all?
You may be smiling now.
But see if you’re still smiling in twelve months’ time.
h/t westcoastjan