Remember that article we wrote about Black Mirror Nosedive episode? The one where citizens rank each other based on behaviour. Well, there’s an update. In the original article, it may have become a reality. Well it’s looking more and more likely now.

Here’s what Nosedive is all about:

According to ABC Chinese citizens will soon be ranked out of 800. This number can be raised by doing community work or buying Chinese products.

Commit Fraud or smoke in non-smoking areas, buy stuff that government doesn’t approve of and your number will decrease. Things the government doesn’t approve of is stuff like alcohol and violent video games.  If you have a high score however you will be treated to VIP treatment at airports, have your deposits waived when hiring a car. You’ll even be fast tracked to top universities or land a better job apparently.

Low score citizens will get some harsh punishments such as being banned from travelling or applying for government jobs. You’ll even receive a negative score on your credit, even restrict access to high speed travel as well!

Successful Trials of “Black Mirror Nosedive”

The Black Mirror Nosedive type scheme has already been implemented successfully in a number of trials in  China.

The scheme will make use of smart phones, artificial intelligence, facial recognition and geo-tracking. So quite a lot of tracking! Your score will be combined alongside the data that the government already holds on you. Such as financial, medical and educational history.

While ABC are reporting that the scheme may be up and running by 2020. The China communist party allegedly states that it will allow ‘‘the trustworthy to roam freely under heaven, while making it hard for the discredited to take a single step’.

What’s scary is that CBS News spoke to a Chinese journalist, who stated that he was barred form booking a flight because he was ‘untrustworthy’. The government ordered him to apologise, he did, but it was deemed insincere. So his score unfortunately didn’t rise. He told them that

“I can’t buy property. My child can’t go to a private school. You feel you’re being controlled by the list all the time.”

(LADBible)

While your taking all that in. Why not listen to us chatting about this please, simply click here!

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