China believes that a real-world social credit system, where everyone has a unique ID that can be easily tracked and shared with law enforcement, works well for all online worlds and the Metaverse.
A proposal for a “digital identity system” for everyone using the virtual online world or metaverse has been drafted by state-owned telecommunications company China Mobile. Reviewed by Politico.
The proposal proposes creating a unique digital identity for every person, including various “identifiable signs, natural and social characteristics” and personal details. Identities are permanently stored and shared with law enforcement agencies so that rapid action can be taken in the event of malicious activity in these virtual worlds.
China Mobile’s proposal includes an example of how a user named Tom could be immediately identified and punished after “spreading rumors and causing chaos in the metaverse.”
If this sounds familiar, it’s because China already has such a system in the real world called the Social Credit System. Under this system, all individuals, businesses and government agencies can create and track records to assess their authenticity. Currently, this system is used in various forms in China, but eventually a unified version that will be operated on a nationwide scale will be deployed.
China Mobile’s proposal is being discussed at the United Nations Telecommunications Organization. International Telecommunication Union (ITU) established a metaverse focus group in December. Within the group, regulators, academics, non-governmental organizations and technology companies review and vote on ideas. China Mobile submitted the idea at the 2nd Metaverse Focus Group Meeting in Shanghai on July 5th. The proposal will be voted on at the next meeting in October.
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As you can imagine, the idea of unique identifiers and permanent storage of such information raises concerns about potential invasions of privacy and freedom online. It may be acceptable within China, but not in other countries not under the rule of a communist government.
While the Chinese system will likely be rejected by the ITU, INTERPOL warns law enforcement agencies of illegal actors who adopt virtual reality technology and “early entrants” into the Metaverse to exploit it. , scammers and terrorists. that.
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