The making of a new social credit system: will Malta implement it?

Blog post by Marica Micallef

We are heading towards a new era catalysed. Part of this new era consists of the drive towards a cashless world which is racing forward faster than ever, by big businesses and governments who are taking advantage of the current situation.

Cash for use in shops or businesses ensures privacy and helps us keep track of what we spend more easily in our everyday lives. It cannot be denied that cash is a great back up in case our bank cards fail or the power is down. Hence, access to cash must also be protected. Yet, a society based on the social credit system is closer than we think, and this is thanks to Covid19 pandemic and the greatest example comes from Australia. 

In the article of May 14, 2021, Robert Wheeler wrote that “Under the guise of a welfare crackdown, Australia moved 25,000 people onto a cashless card system that restricts non-essential purchases” and that “welfare recipients” in Australia have “only access to funds” via “a cashless debit card” known as the “Centrelink” which the Aussies can use to purchase groceries and food only but which they can’t use for gambling, alcohol or cigarettes.[1]

At face value, this appears as a good move. But what are the implication of all this? What is suspicious is that this card was trialled in 2016 – the same year when the World Economic Forum came up with the terminology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

I am aware that some will rejoice on thinking that now those Aussies who live on welfare can no longer loiter in the sun drinking beer and exploiting the funds given to them, while others break their back daily at work. This is how it is seen on face value but, the agenda behind all this is more insidious than it appears, so don’t be quick to judge. All this will ultimately lead governments controlling a social credit system, UBI and financial allotment.

“A social credit system” was perfectly described by Alexandra Ma in a Business Insider’s article which read “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”.

This is because the Chinese state is setting up a vast ranking system that will monitor the behaviour of its enormous population and rank them all based on their “social credit” and although this MANDATORY program was due to be fully operational nationwide by 2020, this system was first announced in 2014! It seems that so many things have been happening in pre-Covid times which are now coming into fruition during Covid-19!

Now apparently, this system is also coming together in the U.S. and then, in the whole world. “Accidentally”, Klaus Schwab, back in December 2020, was already talking about this “digital inclusion” whereby he confirmed that the World Economic Forum has “developed a joint action plan together with the World Banks, CSMA and Industry Partners”, establishing the “Covid Digital Response Network”, while pointing to the ability for small businesses to have access to a COMMON DIGITAL SERVICE such as Digital Identity, Security and Digital Financial Tools which, he emphasis, will be critical to their success.

He adds that the world “must invest in digital inclusion, with innovating, financing models. Currently, only 1% of funding from Multinational Development Banks goes towards digital infrastructure. So, we must think of digital infrastructure and digital inclusion holistically including digital identity and PAYMENT SOLUTIONS. SUCCESS WILL ONLY BE POSSIBLE for deep sustained gross industry and private-public partnership to ensure availability for consumers as well as sustainable ECONOMIC AND FISCAL MODELS for continuous service provision.”[2]

Are we going to lose all our cash? Will Malta also implement this new “social credit system”? What will be the implications of all this if it is introduced in Malta? Why doesn’t our government talk about this? Why are our politicians keeping us, the public, alienated with the upcoming election and by amateur politics embodied by both parties instead of talking about this?

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[1] https://www.activistpost.com/2021/05/a-society-based-on-the-social-credit-system-is-closer-than-you-think.html

[2] https://www.weforum.org/videos/ksc-on-the-digital-inclusion