ITALY LAUNCHING SOCIAL SCORE SYSTEM
NEWS: VIDEO REPORTS
Governments seek more control
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TRANSCRIPT
Italy is known for its pasta, performance cars and master painters. And soon, it will be known for being the first European country to roll out a social credit app. In tonight's In-Depth Report, Church Militant's Kim Tisor takes a look at the Smart Citizen Wallet.
Government officials claim the Smart Citizen Wallet app will work much like a grocery store rewards program. Those who recycle, conserve energy and use public transportation, for instance, will earn a higher rating, along with points they can apply toward prizes. All for being good citizens.
A similar system is already in use in Rome, with citizens in Bologna expected to have access in September, after the completion of its current trial phase. An official behind the digital incentive program stresses that use of the app will be entirely voluntary, while critics warn it's eerily similar to the non-voluntary social credit system in China.
Eight years ago, while still planning its social credit system, China's government claimed establishing the program would be important for "building a harmonious socialist society." Today, the Orwellian social credit system is used to punish citizens who drive poorly, play too many video games and post false information online.
In America, a type of social credit score already exists for corporations. It's called an "ESG score."
Kim Iversen, The Hill: "ESG stands for 'environment, social and corporate governance.' It's similar to a credit score except, rather than being based around a company's revenue and history of paying back debts, the ESG score is centered around sustainability and ethics."
Companies like Disney get a high score for wildlife conservation efforts and promoting diversity. What is already a standard ranking system in corporate America could easily be adopted for individual U.S. citizens, like the social credit scores beginning to pop up around the globe.
In Bologna, government officials believe citizens will be eager to sign up for the Smart Citizen app and explain no one will be penalized for so-called bad behavior. The question is, who determines what's good and what's bad?
The World Economic Forum is pushing for a Digital ID, digital currency and social credit score system. WEF founder Klaus Schwab outlines his vision for a more "equitable" and "prosperous" future in his 2020 book The Great Reset.
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