These are the things that can get you punished under China's creepy 'social credit' system - from fake news to jaywalking
Blocking the sidewalk.
A shopkeeper in Qingdao, eastern China, was prohibited from buying tickets he left four electric bikes parked on a pavement, the Sydney Morning Herald reported in March.
Jaywalking.
Authorities in various Chinese cities photograph jaywalkers and publicly shame them.
In Shenzhen, southeastern China, jaywalkers' photos, surnames, and redacted ID numbers are displayed on massive screens by the road almost immediately. This information is also uploaded to a government website, as seen above.
Intellifusion, the Chinese AI firm in charge of the facial recognition technology, is also working on sending texts to jaywalkers alerting them of their fine immediately after the incident, the South China Morning Post reported.
You can also be punished for trying to ride the train without tickets.
Starting on May 1, authorities will punish citizens who try to board trains with fake tickets, a government notice recently announced.
People who use forged or invalid IDs to buy their tickets will be punished as well.
Loitering at airport check-in desks, security screening areas, and boarding gates.
Source: Chinese government notice
Refusing to serve in the Chinese army.
Seventeen people who enlisted in the army, then changed their minds, were banned from going to university, booking vacations, and travelling first-class on the country's trains, the state-owned Beijing News reported.
Four other people who asked to be discharged early were banned from leaving the country or getting a government job for three years, the state-run Global Times newspaper said.
"Their behaviour has created a bad social influence," the Global Times wrote.
Spreading fake news, specifically about terrorist attacks or airplane security.
Source: Chinese government notice
Taking up more space in airplane seats and luggage racks than you need.
Source: Chinese government notice
Using phones and laptops on planes when you're not supposed to.
People found to be smoking in no-smoking areas on planes and trains will also be punished.
Source: Chinese government notice
The social credit system has started punishing and rewarding millions of citizens already — and some of them claim their fear of getting low credit scores has made them "better" citizens already.
Chen, a 32-year-old entrepreneur in Rongcheng city who has trialled the scheme, told Foreign Policy:
"When we drive, now we always stop in front of crosswalks. If you don't stop, you will lose your points.
"At first, we just worried about losing points, but now we got used to it."
Mu Linming, a 62-year-old resident of Daxunjiangjia village who has also trialled the scheme, added:
"Life in our village has always been good. After introducing the system, it’s gotten even better.
"We are all good, and we can all encourage bad people to be good."
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