The rosy fingers of a bright new dawn are tickling the eastern sky, so you’d better be amongst the first to download the App to reside alongside your ‘stab’ App;
““The Smart Citizen Wallet
This is a social credit system currently being piloted in Bologna, Italy.
In essence it is a points system based on virtuous behaviour, such as using public transport, sorting out your rubbish and moving away from all forms of fossil fuels in favour of renewables.
In exchange for this “good behaviour” citizens will be rewarded financially or through goods and services (the exact details are still being discussed).
The pilot scheme is purely voluntary in Bologna, but is very similar to an ongoing scheme in China that has been running for years.
To take part it will be necessary to install an app to your phone or tablet in order to have a registered digital identity with the local government and its agencies.
The Citizen Wallet, is being backed by the EU Commission, and in particular, Ursula von der Leyen, who wants it to be used in conjunction with the “European Digital Identity Wallet”, which will store digitized information (supposedly including driving licence, health, social security details, employment, criminal record, banking, passport etc) of every citizen in the EU.
Inevitably, there are concerns about privacy, civil rights, freedom of movement as well as the logic that suggests if you don’t hop on board the “Smart Citizen Wallet” idea, then that makes you out to be a bad person with something to hide (possibly even cancelled for not being virtuous enough!)
In essence, the EU want to move ahead and insist that every EU citizen installs the app so that they can not only have all their personal details digitized and consolidated into one virtual “wallet” (database, to you and me). And if you’re a model citizen you will earn points, while those who do not “conform” will be stigmatised and possibly even fined for being naughty!
And from a technological point of view this means even more dependency on having a smartphone and the way it holds/interrogates not only what apps you have installed, but your contacts, photos, text messages, location, journey tracking, online purchasing, fingerprint and iris scanner authentication. The “wallet” just adds another level of electronic activity/scrutiny on your freedoms and choices.
The pilot scheme in Bologna is for the moment voluntary. But we all know what will happen once approved by the EU hierarchy.”
“Wow it’s like being sentenced to doing community service without having committed a crime.”
“Well I wonder what happens when their phone battery runs out?
Do you have to go straight to bed while it charges up?
No phone no money no job no house?
Pensioner’s aren’t much use with phones either so I assume they will go to a special camp for a “reward”.”
“They can cancel you already.
Imagine having your bank accounts cancelled as well as all utility companies refusing to provide you with services?
All because your political opinions are deemed ‘bad’.”
“Once it’s been implemented worldwide, the next step will be THE digital currency having a “use by” date. You’ll be paid one week and if you don’t spend it then it will disappear by the next week. If you’re deemed a “good citizen” then you’ll receive payment the following week. You’ll never save any money up. Communism wins and techno capitalists will manage you. If you complain or cause any trouble your weekly payments will be suspended until you correct your behaviour…..”
“Rewards for virtuous behaviour eh.
No mention of the penalties for non virtuous behaviour in the future yet, but there’s bound to be some catch isn’t there. There’s always a catch.
Hang on… Wasn’t dystopian stuff like this, up until recently just more tinfoil hat conspiracy nonsense?
As for it not catching on. Oh it’ll catch on alright because the young smartphone addicted snowflake zombies will lap this ***** up en masse and it’ll be a case of sod the older folk who aren’t so keen because they’ll be dead soon anyway.”
There are a few older folk in this discussion group who may find themselves cancelled if they don’t sharpen up and conform, so dump that old Nokia or Ericsson and join the 21st Century or yer toast!