China’s Push to Implement Social Credit System in the Metaverse
- China Mobile proposes a “Digital Identity System” for its citizens in the metaverse
- The system aims to fuse natural characteristics with social characteristics and store personal information with law enforcement
- The social credit system in the metaverse allows authorities to track and maintain order
- Western experts warn against China’s actions potentially leading to a government-controlled internet
- China is seeking to dictate the policies of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
China’s Influence on the ITU
- China has been filing more proposals to the ITU than the United States and Europe
- China aims to take over the policies of the ITU and has done the most damage to the agency
- Chinese actors flood the ITU with bad proposals, causing U.S. and European technology companies to disregard ITU standards
- China is “playing the long game” to dictate emerging ITU standards
- The proposed China Mobile system will be voted on at the next ITU meeting in October
Hot Take
China’s push to implement a social credit system in the metaverse raises concerns about privacy and control. By fusing personal and social information and allowing authorities to track users, China seeks to maintain order but risks creating a government-controlled internet. Its influence on the ITU and the filing of numerous proposals reflect China’s determination to shape global telecommunications standards. However, this approach may alienate U.S. and European technology companies, leading to a disregard for ITU standards. The outcome of the upcoming ITU meeting in October will determine the future of China’s proposed Digital Identity System.