BIG BROTHER SET TO EXERT EVEN MORE INFLUENCE
Can the Gold Coast trust what part China’s social credit system will play in our economy and our city as our relationship blossoms?
I AM the anti-conspiracy theorist.
I believe in the moon landings, all vaccinations, that September 11 was NOT an inside job and that Elvis has been dead since 1977 (and dead on the inside for even longer).
But guys, I’m a little freaked out right now.
I listened in disbelief this week to the reports of China’s dystopian social credit system, in which every one of its 1.4 billion citizens will soon be monitored 24/7 and ranked on their behaviour.
Under the social credit scheme, points are lost and gained based on readings from a network of 200 million surveillance cameras – a figure set to triple in 18 months.
The data is combined with information collected from individuals’ government records, including medical and educational, along with their financial and internet browsing histories.
Overall scores can go up and down in real time dependent upon the person’s behaviour, but they can also be affected by people with whom they associate.
Jaywalking, late payments on bills or taxes, buying too much alcohol or speaking out against the government can cost you points – and freedom. You can lose the right to travel, access to the internet or your job, while your children can be barred from schools. Scary, right?
But as I started reading around this topic I realised something truly frightening. This is happening to us, too … in little and big ways.
Let’s start with the little, before we all start building bomb shelters in our back yard. (Don’t worry, there’s no actual bombs to fear, although the lack of mobile signal in shelters can at least shield you from Big Brother.)
So … I was reading up on the intricacies of this social credit system when I read the following from America’s New Statesman magazine:
“Financial start-ups worldwide are developing methods like (China’s) scoring system to help sell loans to people without a credit score. Facebook holds a patent on a credit score that takes into account the scores of your friends (albeit that it hasn’t done anything with it, yet).
“Health insurance companies are starting to offer discounts to people who wear fitness trackers. It’s easier than ever to generate, collect and process vast amounts of data about us: to make money, certainly, but … there are also political implications.”
Um, health insurance companies offering fitness trackers? Like the FitBit I received from my insurer?
Sure, the dog ate it (see previous columns about my flabrador … in this case, I owe you Sparky), but my husband uses his all the time. Because he’s such a sad-arse fitness freak we’ve reaped rewards from retailers like Rebel Sport, Boost and even Qantas.
Great, right? But that almost means they have all the data of when my husband exercises, sleeps or breathes. Do I think they’re going to punk him on his morning run to Burleigh? No. I think they’re just happy at least one person they insure is healthy.
But still … that’s a lot of personal information we’ve signed away for some free smoothies.
Now, let’s take this deeper. No, we don’t live in China. But we do a lot of business with the Chinese.
In fact, Mayor Tom Tate only this week returned from yet another round of talks with our Asian neighbours in a bid to make the city bigger, bolder and better. And that’s good. More investment means more money in our city and more jobs for locals, hopefully.
Except, already, this social credit system is affecting Australian businesses. See, Chinese companies that pressure foreign economic entities (like ours) earn points.
Indeed, US-China scholar Dr Samantha Hoffman from the ASPI International Cyber Policy Institute in Canberra says it succinctly: “Companies don’t have a choice but to comply if they want to continue doing business in China.
“China’s ‘social credit system’ … doesn’t stop at China’s borders. … It will affect international businesses and overseas Chinese communities and has the potential to interfere directly in the sovereignty of other nations.”
Want an example? Well, Qantas recently changed the language it uses on its global websites in accordance with the Chinese Government’s preferred terminology for Taiwan. Coincidence? You decide. The Gold Coast is certainly in China’s sights. The communist nation’s Ministry of Culture has listed Chinese developer Songcheng’s planned Nerang theme park, Australian Legend World, as a
“key cultural trade and investment project’’ that is linked to the country’s ambitious – and contentious – Belt and Road investment plan.
Billed as the new Silk Road, China is spending up to a trillion dollars on international infrastructure projects and hopes to bind more than 65 countries and two thirds of the world’s population to its economy.
While Australia did not sign up for the divisive initiative, cities can still tender for individual projects. Indeed, Cr Tate told the
Bulletin of this project: “We’re delighted the Chinese Government has included (Australian Legend World) on their Belt and Road list.
“Our city’s relationship with China is built on trust as well as council’s ability to minimise red tape.”
But with every Chinese citizen and business set to be signed up to the social credit system by 2020, can we trust what part this scheme will play in our economy and our city?
Let’s be careful not to sell our city’s soul for the sake of glorified free smoothies.