Nation to boost reach of credit tracking system

Members of the 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee have mooted the idea of a social credit evaluation system for the entertainment sector, as China steps up efforts to bring order to an industry that was rocked by plagiarism, tax evasion and payments to create fake fan followings in 2018.

The social credit system, a unified system that ranks trustworthiness across several parameters, is likely to be rolled out nationally in 2020. There have already been suggestions by some of the members at the ongoing session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee that the entertainment sector needs to be brought under its ambit.

Gong Hanlin, a well-known comedian and a CPPCC National Committee member, suggested a blacklist mechanism that would impose punishments for offenders, similar to the social credit system that seeks to prevent offenders from purchasing train or flight tickets.