China Seeks to Implement Social Credit System in Metaverse
China is looking to introduce a social credit system in the metaverse and other virtual universes. State-owned telecom firm China Mobile has proposed digital IDs for this purpose, which would utilize “natural characteristics” and “social characteristics.” The goal of this proposal is to maintain “order and safety” in the virtual world.
The proposal suggests that all Chinese citizens participating in virtual worlds and the metaverse must provide personal information for identification purposes. This information could include job details and other relevant data, which would be stored permanently and shared with authorities if necessary.
The proposal cites the example of a user spreading rumors and causing chaos in the metaverse. The digital ID system would enable authorities to quickly identify and locate such individuals.
This proposal is an extension of China’s existing social credit system, which assigns scores and ranks to individuals based on various metrics. The system is also used as an enforcement tool in the country.
In 2019, authorities in China banned social offenders from purchasing plane tickets 17.5 million times, while others were barred from purchasing train tickets 5.5 million times.
Earlier this year, the Bank of China partnered with French international banking group BNP Paribas to promote the adoption of the digital yuan. This partnership allowed Chinese clients of the French bank to establish a connection system with the national bank.
