Social Credit System refers to a mass surveillance scheme by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to codify political correctness into a rating system so that the government can determine who are "good citizens" and who are "bad citizens".[1] In China, anything that is not approved by the central party is politically incorrect. It is categorized as an innocent "reputation system", however reputation is determined based on governmental decrees and relies upon the population's willingness to remain within the correct guidelines.
Facebook has implemented a similar ratings system as a way to target conservatives.[2]
In early 2020, the CCP cracked down hard on people trying to break through the veil of government secrecy, as they call it "rumormongering", according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. All persons who spread "fake news" (i.e. the truth about the real extent of the covid epidemic, its spread and its consequences), and thus disturbs social order, faced up to three years in prison detention or disciplinary action under China's social credit system. Offenders who cause serious consequences will be given three to seven-year prison terms.[3]