China’s social credit system may soon target online speech

New draft regulation aims to blacklist people for “seriously untrustworthy conduct” online

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In the city of Rongcheng in Shandong province, citizens are graded by a point-based social credit system. (Picture: 信用中国（山东荣成）)

Published: 5:12pm, 1 Aug 2019Updated: 5:12pm, 1 Aug 2019

As various places across China have erected their own so-called social credit schemes, some people have already faced some harsh consequences for having low scores. A new draft regulation could now expand scored behavior to include content shared online.

If the new regulation is put into effect, internet users who fabricate, publish and spread information online that goes against public morals or business ethics could be deemed “seriously untrustworthy.”

Users aren’t the only ones being targeted. The draft from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) stipulates that both internet service providers and internet users could be blacklisted under China’s social credit system for “seriously untrustworthy conduct.”

The CAC didn’t detail what makes certain behavior “seriously untrustworthy.” It only gave a few examples. Besides sharing false information, the CAC said companies that have violated laws and regulations, had their websites shut down or business licenses revoked, or failed to carry out a punishment could be blacklisted.

China Internet Report

Until now, the things most likely to get someone blacklisted have been offline behaviors like behaving badly on public transport or failing to repay debts. Now it looks like the government is seeking to change that.

In some cases, the impact of China’s expanding social credit schemes is easy to see. One national blacklist has more than 14 million people listed as “discredited.”