Black Mirror Meets Reality In China's Brave New World

In a three-part series, NPR’s “The Indicator” podcast delves into the intricacies and potential terrors of China’s new credit rating system, which aims to include every citizen into an integrated database where everyday behaviors contribute to an overall credit score. 

The first episode, somewhat ironically called “China’s Brave New World”, begins with a comparison between the credit system and an episode of the popular television show “Black Mirror”. The show depicts a future dystopia where every human interaction is subject for rating. That is, after any exchange with another person, you have a chance to rate them on your smart phone. A high rating comes with perks, but a low rating takes away social privileges, buying ability, and even freedom of movement. Social behavior deemed “right” and “good” becomes interchangeable with currency. 

It’s not hard to see how this disaster scenario relates to China’s intended credit system, where things like forgetting to clean up after your pet in a public space might dock your credit ten points if you’re a citizen living in a place where the credit scheme has already been rolled out. 

“The Indicator”, which is made by the same team as NPR’s popular “Planet Money” podcast, covers global topics like this one in short ten-minute bytes, which in the case of a series like this add up to a comprehensive portrait of an important phenomenon.