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submitted 1 month ago by 0x815@feddit.org to c/technology@lemmy.world

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@lemmy.world 124 points 1 month ago

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...

[-] rottingleaf@lemmy.zip 56 points 1 month ago

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

[-] silkroadtraveler@lemmy.today 11 points 1 month ago

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@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

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.

[-] KingThrillgore@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 month ago

Oh that's coming. Stay tuned.

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[-] Eric_Pollock@lemmy.dbzer0.com 110 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

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@lemmy.world 13 points 1 month ago

Weibo and WeChat hide

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month 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.

[-] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 83 points 1 month ago

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...

[-] el_abuelo@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 month ago

There are no gay people in Russia.

[-] Honytawk@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 month ago

shoots gun

Not anymore

[-] downpunxx@fedia.io 22 points 1 month ago
The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way

wink

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[-] P1nkman@lemmy.world 64 points 1 month ago

This is literally the plot for a Black Mirror episode.

[-] themurphy@lemmy.ml 79 points 1 month ago

This is literally the plot for *China.

[-] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 month ago

From. Nosedive to be specific.

[-] Infynis@midwest.social 13 points 1 month ago

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@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago

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

[-] souperk@reddthat.com 41 points 1 month ago

They made meow meow beans?

[-] FutileRecipe@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month 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@lemmy.world 9 points 1 month ago

Cool.

Cool cool cool.

[-] Scolding7300@lemmy.world 38 points 1 month ago

I see the North Korea visit was pretty useful

[-] ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 37 points 1 month ago

“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_@lemmy.world 14 points 1 month 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?

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 5 points 1 month ago

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

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[-] Freefall@lemmy.world 28 points 1 month ago

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

[-] Deway@lemmy.world 23 points 1 month ago

I give this news 5 MeowMeowBeenz.

[-] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 month ago

Oh shit it’s meow meow beans

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[-] DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social 17 points 1 month ago

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

[-] barsquid@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month 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.

[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 month ago

...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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[-] FiniteBanjo@lemmy.today 14 points 1 month ago

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

[-] uis@lemm.ee 6 points 1 month ago

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

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[-] downpunxx@fedia.io 13 points 1 month ago

sounds like kgb with extra steps

[-] mannycalavera@feddit.uk 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Russia can into tinpot dictator.

[-] Gsus4@programming.dev 13 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

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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[-] Alphane_Moon@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

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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[-] uis@lemm.ee 11 points 1 month ago

Putinism as it is. Oligarchy and survailance.

[-] CriticalMiss@lemmy.world 10 points 1 month ago

The devs of this planet are lazy and rehashing content.

[-] TheDeepState@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago
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this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2024
501 points (97.2% liked)

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