this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2024
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cross-posted from: https://feddit.org/post/536301

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The Russia’s State Social University (RSSU) has launched a “social rating” platform that claims to build a person’s “social portrait” with possible applications in future government policies.

Named “We,” the platform promises to determine a user’s comparative “social status” based on a survey that includes questions about income, family status, benefits, creditworthiness, criminal record, lifestyle and state awards, among others.

“The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way,” RSSU said on the platform’s website. “But who knows what these figures will mean for you in the future?”

Observers on social media compared the platform’s name “We” to the highly influential 1921 dystopian novel of the same name by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin. [The novel "We" describes a world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state. It inspired British author George Orwell to write his own novel, "Nineteen Eighty-Four", which was published in 1949.]

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[–] Dragomus 124 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Well this sounds a bit familiar...

Next step is adding a scoring system with penalties for certain behavior and it will be quite similar to the social system that is rolling out in China...

[–] [email protected] 56 points 4 months ago (1 children)

That's probably the inspiration, but like hell they'll manage to actually build something as functional.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (7 children)

I wouldn’t underestimate the engineering competence of Russians especially when it comes to autocratic surveillance tools. There are plenty of Russian-built tools and web apps that function quite well - Yandex, VK, etc. The west does not have a monopoly on innovation.

[–] nexusband 10 points 4 months ago (6 children)

The west does not have a monopoly on innovation.

Nope - but it does look like we have the "monopoly" of being able to call out bullshit openly and not fear falling out of a window. Or being stabbed.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago

Oh that's coming. Stay tuned.

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[–] [email protected] 110 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

Observers on social media compared the platform’s name “We” to the highly influential 1921 dystopian novel of the same name by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin.

They actually couldn't choose a different name than the novel that was written specifically about this very dystopian subject? Did they use it as inspiration? Because that seems more than coincidence...

[–] fluxion 13 points 4 months ago

Weibo and WeChat hide

[–] Maggoty 7 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

It's a blocking method. If 90% of the people who search a term are looking for the social platform it becomes much harder to find the book. Think of it like trying to find archival news articles about a perennial topic. You have to wade through all the recent shit and then there's 2 hits from the time period you're checking.

[–] [email protected] 83 points 4 months ago (3 children)

The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way

unless you're gay...

[–] [email protected] 36 points 4 months ago (1 children)

There are no gay people in Russia.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 4 months ago

shoots gun

Not anymore

[–] [email protected] 22 points 4 months ago
The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way

wink

[–] barsquid 4 points 4 months ago

Then what are they for? Like the government just puts up a leaderboard and leaves it at that.

[–] P1nkman 64 points 4 months ago (3 children)

This is literally the plot for a Black Mirror episode.

[–] [email protected] 79 points 4 months ago

This is literally the plot for *China.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago (1 children)

From. Nosedive to be specific.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I think for was actually the right word choice there, because Black Mirror in no way came up with the concept

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[–] pyre 4 points 4 months ago

or, for an example with better writing, a Community episode

[–] [email protected] 41 points 4 months ago (3 children)

They made meow meow beans?

[–] FutileRecipe 12 points 4 months ago

They've taken everything subjective and unspoken about human interaction and reduced it to explicit, objective numbers. I've never felt so alive.

[–] homesweethomeMrL 9 points 4 months ago

Cool.

Cool cool cool.

[–] Scolding7300 38 points 4 months ago

I see the North Korea visit was pretty useful

[–] [email protected] 37 points 4 months ago (3 children)

“The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way,” RSSU said on the platform’s website. “But who knows what these figures will mean for you in the future?”

Well that's a relief...

[–] RememberTheApollo_ 14 points 4 months ago

When was the last time an entity that generated stats about someone didn’t end up with those stats being used to the detriment of the individual - or at the very least for the profit of another?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

There was me thinking it could be used for something sinister.

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[–] Freefall 28 points 4 months ago

Let's see how the Make Russia China campaign goes!

[–] Deway 23 points 4 months ago

I give this news 5 MeowMeowBeenz.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Oh shit it’s meow meow beans

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You can see why all the M-Ls on this site want Russia to win their fascist invasion. Clearly the Revolution lives.

[–] barsquid 6 points 4 months ago

Some .ml fellas can explain that this is good, actually. Oil oligarch kleptocracy with murdering political opponent characteristics is one of the most leftist governments possible, so everything they do is good.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago (9 children)

...but who knows...

Yeeaaaahhhhh, about that. We are totally not going the China way, its just that we are because fuck you.

Russia is a maffia state and should be dismantled, prove me wrong.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Omg, the RSSU, lmao. How is this not the Onion?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (2 children)

What's wrong with RSS-- Oh. Well, Putinism is opposite of communism.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago

sounds like kgb with extra steps

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Russia can into tinpot dictator.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (12 children)

Named “We,” the platform promises to determine a user’s comparative “social status” based on a survey that includes questions about income, family status, benefits, creditworthiness, criminal record, lifestyle and state awards, among others.

Criminal record: putin's scoreboard of excellency https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3174724/russias-putin-decorates-army-unit-accused-ukraine-war-crimes

How many putinpoints do they get for using a 3 to 13million$ Kh-101 cruise missile to bomb a children's hospital chemo ward?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago

Putinism as it is. Oligarchy and survailance.

[–] Alphane_Moon 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Seems like RSSU is fishing for the government's money.

It's probably very badly implemented and doesn't work as described. In a sense this is good, but my point stands.

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[–] CriticalMiss 10 points 4 months ago

The devs of this planet are lazy and rehashing content.

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