Heard about this on BBC News this morning…. “The government is planning to spend £5m on a trial programme of apps designed to support citizens in exercising and improving their diets – and financially reward them for doing so.” Well sounds like a good idea in theory until…. “The DHSC is undertaking a market engagement process in a bid to better understand the available products and services that could support such a programme. This includes reaching an understanding of how any technology used could measure citizen behaviour.” Now let’s have a look at how ‘measuring citizens’ behaviour’ is going in China… “China is gearing up to launch a Social Credit System giving all citizens an identity number that will be linked to a permanent record. Like a financial score, everything from paying back loans to behaviour on public transport will be included. Different cities and provinces have different versions of this at the moment, that will all come together in one big database, in order to keep track of everything everyone is doing. One aspect of this social credit system is a new app in the northern province of Hebei. This will alert people if there are in 500 metres of someone in debt. The idea is that it will allow people to “whistle-blow on debtors capable of paying their debts.” According to China Daily, more than 6,000 people who failed to pay their taxes on time or misbehaved on public transport were barred from taking planes or trains in and out of China between June 2018 and January 2019.” Step by step, we’re stumbling toward Orwellian times.
It is worrying though, to be honest, i think the powers that be can already access any info about an individual that they wish to find with no trouble at all.
Not to that level though. I mean, encouraging people to inform on each other? Denying them the right to leave the country for anti-social behaviour or not paying taxes?
I agree, if the Tories could get away with it they will. Johnson, Gove Rees Mogg etc maybe won't sell their own grannies for a fiver but they'd happily sell yours and mine.
It’s not just governments that we should beware of. Google acquired an area of Toronto. They installed sensors and cameras to track behaviours in the region. It appears the long term ambition is to create smart cities within cities. They will attract business, build transportation infrastructure and footfall based on intelligent analysis. Seems like the business model is that they will then expect to tax the city government for the privilege. It reverses the business model but if the city becomes reliant on the income and infrastructure then I can see the logic Google’s side. Interestingly local people started to become more and more aware of the hidden agenda as the unanswered questions grew. I believe they pulled the plug then. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/12/toronto-canada-quayside-urban-centre
Well depends on who defines anti-social. There are quite a few in Chinese internment camps undergoing ‘re-education’ programmes. Their only anti-social crime is being the wrong religion.
I would imagine (hope?) our definition of anti-social differs drastically to the Chinese interpretation.
Well yes. But technology allows that level of control - and far greater control - anywhere now. And as technology is seen as the answer to everything, no one worries too much about where measuring citizen behavior leads. “It could never happen here” is generally what’s said just before it does happen. And the way it’ll be presented is that it’s all there to help you, to make your life easier- stay healthy, stay safe, obey.
Don't get me wrong, I despise this shower in charge at the minute, but do you really think they'd set up "re-education" camps akin to what's going on in China? Honestly?
I honestly cant wait until someone demanding covid passports and mandatory jabs gets refused entry to KFC with the grandkids...