Digital Social Credit Systems: How Western Platforms Already Track and Score User Behavior

Summary

The article argues that Western societies already have extensive social credit systems through various digital platforms and services, despite criticizing China's official social credit system. It examines how credit scores, ride-sharing ratings, social media engagement metrics, and online reviews function as de facto social credit systems that track, score, and reward/punish individuals based on their behavior. The piece explores the economic origins of social credit theory and how the concept has evolved into modern behavioral scoring systems that influence people's access to services, opportunities, and social standing.