Parts of Europe are about to launch a Chinese-style social credit system. The first rollout will reportedly be in Italy; however, the planning for the Bavarian version first began back in 2019.
Under China’s nascent social credit system, citizens are given a credit score based on their online and offline behavior. It’s a system that rewards “good” behavior like spending time with the elderly while punishing “bad” behavior like protesting the government or spending too much time playing video games, explains author Tim Hinchliffe.
When “trust” is broken in one area, restrictions are placed everywhere — meaning citizens who commit even minor infractions can be blacklisted from traveling, going to restaurants, renting a home, or even having insurance. According to Chinese State-run media, this has happened to over 30 million citizens.
Read the following article, “Social Credit System not only in Italy: such a system is also coming to Bavaria this year” from the German news site, Report24:
The “Smart Citizen Wallet” pilot project in Bologna, Italy, is currently making headlines. It will be launched in September and focus on “the virtuous citizen: Those who are good and, for example, separate their trash, save energy and use public transport, are to be rewarded with points for which they can secure certain benefits. Sadly, what many consider to be the first social credit system in Europe is not a novelty: In Bavaria, a very similar system has long been planned in the form of the “Ökotoken.”
The Bavarian “sustainability token” appeared earlier in the long version of the “climate protection offensive” of 2019. The stated goal is to “promote sustainable behavior in everyday life by rewarding environmentally conscious actions.” The token is intended to have a “signal effect for companies and citizens” (in other words, it is an educational measure). The State Ministry for Digital Affairs is responsible.
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