HOOK/INTRO IDEAS: -How does China use a social credit system? -Is it good or bad for society?
CHINESE SOCIAL CREDIT SYSTEM
1. THESIS: The use of the social credit system within China is bad for society because it is a direct invasion of privacy, the scoring system they are using to punish their citizens is not justifiable, and the reward system put in place to promote good behavior is not reasonable.
1.1. REASON #1: The social credit system is a direct invasion of privacy.
1.1.1. Sources: Donguines, Arvin. “China's Social Credit System: It Pays to Be Good.” Breaking Asia, 24 June 2020, www.breakingasia.com/china/the-social-credit-system/. Koty, Alexander Chipman. “China's Corporate Social Credit System: What Businesses Need to Know.” China Briefing News, 12 Nov. 2019, www.china-briefing.com/news/chinas-corporate-social-credit-system-how-it-works/.
1.2. REASON #2: The scoring system China is using to punish citizens is not justifiable.
1.2.1. Sources: Ma, Alexandra. “China Has Started Ranking Citizens with a Creepy 'Social Credit' System - Here's What You Can Do Wrong, and the Embarrassing, Demeaning Ways They Can Punish You.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 29 Oct. 2018, www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-punishments-and-rewards-explained-2018-4. Johnson, Stephen. “How China's 'Social Credit Score' Will Punish and Reward Citizens.” Big Think, Big Think, 3 Dec. 2018, bigthink.com/stephen-johnson/a-look-at-chinas-orwellian-plan-to-give-every-citizen-a-social-credit-score.
1.3. REASON #3: The reward system put in place to promote good behavior is not reasonable.
1.3.1. Sources: Ma, Alexandra. “China's Controversial Social Credit System Isn't Just about Punishing People - Here's What You Can Do to Get Rewards, from Special Discounts to Better Hotel Rooms.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Feb. 2019, www.businessinsider.com/china-social-credit-system-how-to-get-rewards-2019-1. Johnson, Stephen. “How China's 'Social Credit Score' Will Punish and Reward Citizens.” Big Think, Big Think, 3 Dec. 2018, bigthink.com/stephen-johnson/a-look-at-chinas-orwellian-plan-to-give-every-citizen-a-social-credit-score.
1.4. COUNTER ARGUMENTS: The social credit system can be beneficial to the Chinese society by: -Bringing out better versions of people -Restoring trust amongst their country -Raise people’s standards as humans -Promote good moral behavior in society -Keeps citizens from making poor decisions -Helps to monitor and identify deviant acts of its people -Provides protection to law-abiding citizens
1.4.1. Response to Counterarguments: -The SCS may help restore trust within its country, but it could also make the citizens trust their government less. -While it may help promote good behavior, it may also allow others to rebel against the SCS. -It may monitor the acts of its people, but a lot of the actions people take shouldn’t necessarily drop their social credit score. -It seems like the government wants to control the Chinese people.