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Russia launches "social rating" platform to determine a person’s comparative “social status” (www.themoscowtimes.com)

submitted 4 months ago by 0x815@feddit.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

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cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/536301

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The Russia’s State Social University (RSSU) has launched a “social rating” platform that claims to build a person’s “social portrait” with possible applications in future government policies.

Named “We,” the platform promises to determine a user’s comparative “social status” based on a survey that includes questions about income, family status, benefits, creditworthiness, criminal record, lifestyle and state awards, among others.

“The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way,” RSSU said on the platform’s website. “But who knows what these figures will mean for you in the future?”

Observers on social media compared the platform’s name “We” to the highly influential 1921 dystopian novel of the same name by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin. [The novel "We" describes a world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state. It inspired British author George Orwell to write his own novel, "Nineteen Eighty-Four", which was published in 1949.]

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[+] Hildegarde@lemmy.world -24 points 4 months ago (6 children)

Russia now has a social credit system just like china and also the united states

[–] tudor@lemmy.world 50 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (5 children)

You see, in the States, your credit score is an indication of how likely you are to be responsible and comply with the terms of a loan or other bank-related contract. If you have a low score, you don’t get a loan, because the bank sees you as a risk that you will not give their money back. You can still live your life normally, even with a low score, and possibly even rebuild your score over time. Only what you do with money influences your credit score.

In China, the social credit score is an indication of how loyal you are to the regime. A low social credit score, which is earned by disrespecting the regime or not following the silliest of laws, forbids you from using public transport, buying stuff, or getting education.

You can’t miss that contrast.

[–] RecluseRamble@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 4 months ago

Every banking system has some kind of credit score. Social scoring is what's relatively new and has to keep us on edge because also governments of mostly free societies have a natural interest in such systems.

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