In Shenzhen, a city in southern China's Guangdong province, jaywalking has become a costly mistake. Since April 2017, the city has deployed facial recognition cameras at intersections to catch pedestrians who cross against the light. Offenders' faces, names, and partial government ID numbers are displayed on large LED screens above the streets. Now, according to a report by Motherboard, a Chinese artificial intelligence company is integrating the system with mobile carriers, allowing authorities to send a fine via text message the moment a violation is detected.
The initiative is part of a larger surveillance apparatus that the Chinese government has been expanding over the past several years. While officials cite public safety and security as the primary goals, the data collected on citizens' movements and activities is also expected to feed into China's national social credit system, a nationwide scoring mechanism scheduled for full rollout in 2020.
How the social credit system works
The social credit system aims to rate each citizen based on their trustworthiness, with scores influencing access to jobs, services, and even travel. According to China's National Development and Reform Commission, individuals with low scores could be barred from certain forms of transportation. Fortune has reported that the travel restrictions might apply to a wide range of offenses, from spreading false information about terrorism to smoking on trains.
For outsiders, the facial recognition jaywalking enforcement may seem like a routine aspect of life in a society where privacy expectations are minimal. However, evidence suggests that Chinese citizens do care about privacy. When Baidu's CEO, Robin Li, publicly stated that many Chinese are willing to exchange privacy for safety, convenience, or efficiency, and that the company could make more use of that data, a heated online backlash followed.
Human Rights Watch has expressed concerns about the future of human rights in China, noting that the government has a history of suppressing free speech and punishing dissent. While the organization has not specifically commented on the social credit system, experts worry that such a system could exacerbate these practices. The lack of transparency about how deductions are determined adds to the unease.
The technology deployed in Shenzhen demonstrates the potential for efficient law enforcement, but it also serves as a reminder of how easily such power could be abused. As the social credit system moves closer to implementation, the balance between security and individual rights remains a contentious issue.
