[PleaseLoveMe]

Also people lose their voice. Case in point:

"But some Chinese are unaware that it even exists. And many others actually like the idea. One survey found that 80% of Chinese citizens surveyed either somewhat or strongly approve of social credit system."

How many people actually like the idea and how many claim they do because they want to score points? The endgame is that the government can do whatever it wants and claim it is with "the support of the people"

[magduf]

The general populace agreeing with their leadership isn't unique to authoritarian societies. I'm sure a poll in the US will find broad support for many US government policies too, even when they're viewed negatively in other countries.

Note that I'm not supporting the social credit system (or disapproving either), I'm just pointing out that I don't think, unlike other responders here, that this poll finding is automatically void just because it was done in China. How many Americans would have been polled as "somewhat or strongly approving" of the invasion of Iraq in 2003?

[aeternum]

There are many things that are not illegal, but ruin the experiences of others: cutting in line, making a scene to get freebies or comps, pushing. Previously, cities and towns were generally smaller and communities provided social pressure against this behavior.

Most people are aware of the Chinese tourist stereotype. Perhaps they see this "social credit" system as a way of combating that behavior now that communities are much too global to provide the social pressure they once did.

[bitL]

Indeed, surveys in totalitarian societies aren't worth anything. Imagine you have never seen anything resembling free press/idea exchange in your whole life, since childhood until now. Moreover, for some reason you are required at regular times of the year to publicly profess your political support without actually understanding what is it all about, as there is no opposing force to profess your ideas against (OK, maybe "America" in TV news). The clever/sociopathic ones just find ways to game the system until they get their "heads chopped off" by aligning to some fraction that loses some internal fight; whether you are a little person or a major figure, you have to follow the same algorithm.

[taobility]

the people would only believe what they believe, which exactly describe what you thinking right now. Because you think Chinese has no their own opinion, so they can't express themselves. I don't want to convince you, since I knew you won't believe me as well. Just want to tell you, Chinese is high intelligence human being like you, they are not stupid as you think.

[snarf21]

The parent wasn't saying the Chinese aren't intelligent. He was saying if opening saying you hate the social credit system would cause you to lose credit on said system, you are incentivized to say nothing or feign support even if you don't. Because of this, there is now way to truly know how many people really support this. If it was a policy of one store, you would see the company succeed/fail. When it is the government, you lose the ability to vote with your feet.

[kolanos]

> Because you think Chinese has no their own opinion, so they can't express themselves.

That was not what the poster you're replying to was saying. Quite the opposite, actually. The other poster was describing a political sophistication that would make an 80% approval rating for a social credit system a rather amusing irony.