The DOI matches its Crossref record; 24 of the 24 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Constructing a Data‐Driven Society: China's Social Credit System as a State Surveillance Infrastructure
Abstract
Big data technologies have been adopted by both the public and private sectors to develop and expand surveillance capacities. This article traces the institutional processes and political‐economic interests of the public and private stakeholders involved in the construction of China's Social Credit System (SCS), which is currently on track for full deployment on 1.4 billion citizens by 2020. The SCS aims to centralize data platforms into a big data–enabled surveillance infrastructure to manage, monitor, and predict the trustworthiness of citizens, firms, organizations, and governments in China. A punishment/reward system based on credit scores will determine whether citizens and organizations are able to access things like education, markets, and tax deductions. While the SCS is widely described by the Western news media as a means of “big brother” or political control, we find that it is a complicated system that focuses primarily on financial and commercial activities rather than political ones. This article presents a framework for understanding state surveillance infrastructures by exploring how various government agencies are cooperating to establish this centralized data infrastructure with the aim of scoring credit, and discussing the distinct but interconnected processes of data collection, data aggregation, and data analytics.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“China, for instance, aspires to create a national-level social credit system to incentivize pro-government speech and action.”
From Physical and virtual repertoires of contention (2022) · cites this paper as [98]
Citations
Cites
Haggerty, K. D., & Ericson, R. V. (2000) · The British Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1080/00071310020015280 · Cited by 2,244
Collier, D. (2011) · PS: Political Science & Politics · doi:10.1017/s1049096511001429 · Cited by 2,238
Datafication, dataism and dataveillance: Big Data between scientific paradigm and ideology
Van Dijck, J. (2014) · Surveillance & Society · doi:10.24908/ss.v12i2.4776 · Cited by 2,203
Infrastructure studies meet platform studies in the age of Google and Facebook
Plantin, J.-C., Lagoze, C., Edwards, P. N., & Sandvig, C. (2018) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/1461444816661553 · Cited by 1,663
The Mechanisms of Policy Diffusion
Shipan, C. R., & Volden, C. (2008) · American Journal of Political Science · doi:10.1111/j.1540-5907.2008.00346.x · Cited by 1,369
Surveillance studies: an overview
Kelly, T. (2008) · Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute · Cited by 947
Surveillance, Snowden, and Big Data: Capacities, consequences, critique
Lyon, D. (2014) · Big Data & Society · doi:10.1177/2053951714541861 · Cited by 839
An overview of Internet of Vehicles
Yang, F., Wang, S., Li, J., Liu, Z., & Sun, Q. (2014) · China Communications · doi:10.1109/cc.2014.6969789 · Cited by 665
Surveillance Studies: An Overview
Lyon, D. (2007) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 572
Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World
Schneier, B. (2015) · Cited by 525
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 6
- Hoffman S., 2017, Managing the State: Social Credit, Surveillance and the CCP's Plan for China, China Brief Volume, 17, 21
- Lin H., 2003, The Definition and Attributes of Credit and the Construction of China's Credit System (Xinyong De Dingyi He Shuxing Yu Zhongguo Xinyong Zhidu Jianshe), Fujian Finance, 10, 1
- Shi X., 2007, On Evolution of the Concept of Credit (Lun Xinyong Gainian De Lishi Yanjing), Journal of Peking University, 44, 120
- Yu S., 2016, Analyzing the Process of Social Credit System Construction in China (Woguo Shehui Xinyong Tixi Jianshe De Jincheng Yanjiu), Tribune of Study, 32, 14
- Zhang T., 2015, Using Big Data Theory to Establish a New Standard for Social Credit System (Yong Dashuju Yuanli Jianli Shehui Xinyong Tixi Xinbiaozhun), Information China, 10, 94
- Zhang Z., 2016, Institutional Construction for Social Credit System in the Era of Big Data (Dashuju Shidai Shehui Chengxin Tixi De Zhidu Jianshe), Credit Reference, 9, 58
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 501–600 of 611
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-033
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-094
VI.2.2 Steuerungswissen: Dialogprozesse und Partizipation
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-090
II.2.2 Vernetzung, Netzwerke und Plattformisierung
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-020
IV.4.1 Dystopischer Überwachungsstaat
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-061
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-016
VI.2.3 Steuerungstest: Experimentierräume und -klauseln
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-091
V.3.4 Policy II: Novellierung des NetzDG
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-079
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-041
V.2.4 Politics II: Plattformen und Standardisierung als Form der Steuerung
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-074
VI.2.4 Sinkendes Steuerungspotenzial
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-092
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-096
V.3.3 Politics I: Zensurinfrastruktur und Privatisierung der Rechtsdurchsetzung?
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-078
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-060
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-048
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-018
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-070
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-095
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-065
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-006
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-047
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-088
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-075
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-028
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-064
Greef, S. (2023) · Politik in der digitalen Gesellschaft · doi:10.14361/9783839470657-093
Technocratic Feudalism, Digital Apartheids, and the New Surveillance Governance
Briggs, D., Telford, L., Lloyd, A., & Ellis, A. (2023) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-41866-2_4
Yin, J. (2023) · IADIS International Conferences on ICT, Society and Human Beings, e-Health, Connected Smart Cities and Big Data Analytics, Data Mining and Computational Intelligence (ICT/EH/CSC/BigDaCI) · doi:10.33965/mccsis2023_202305l029
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0007
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0002
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0006
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0001
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.005.0001
Will Directed Digital Dissidence Keep Working?
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0009
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0004
What Does Directed Digital Dissidence Look Like?
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0003 · Cited by 1
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.002.0007
Digital Directed Dissidence in Action
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0008
Normality of Residuals for All Models—Labeled by Associated Table/Figure and Dependent Variable
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.005.0002
Jumping Over the Great Firewall
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.003.0005
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.002.0004
Gainous, J., Han, R., MacDonald, A. W., & Wagner, K. M. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197680384.005.0003
O’Hara, K., & Hall, W. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197523681.002.0003
O’Hara, K., & Hall, W. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197523681.002.0006
Cerf, V. G. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197523681.002.0005
O’Hara, K. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197523681.002.0008
O’Hara, K., & Hall, W. (2021) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780197523681.002.0009
Ruiu, M. L., & Ragnedda, M. (2024) · Palgrave studies in digital inequalities · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-56184-9_7 · Cited by 1
Голоцван, С. (2024) · Успіхи і досягнення у науці · doi:10.52058/3041-1254-2024-6(6)-350-363
Litschka, M., Saurwein, F., & Pellegrini, T. (2024) · Ethik in mediatisierten Welten · doi:10.1007/978-3-658-45495-1_1
Le, V. T., Ly-Le, T.-M., & Ha, L. (2024) · Communication, culture and change in Asia · doi:10.1007/978-981-97-8955-9_10
Políticas de seguridad pública en China
Andreu, M. Á. M., & Guitart, D. G. (2025) · Cuadernos de RES PUBLICA en derecho y criminología · doi:10.46661/respublica.11273
Navigating the Sociopolitical Landscape of AI in Smart Cities
Reuter, T. K., & Lian, J. “. (2025) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/9780198945215.003.0095 · Cited by 1
Theoretical Foundations of Surveillance
Țap, P. (2025) · Central and Eastern European perspectives on international relations · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-84943-5_2 · Cited by 1
author, & Singh, A. M. (2025) · INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT · doi:10.55041/ijsrem48086
A megfigyelés paradigmája. A kínai modell és globális hatásai
Tujner, V., & Tóth, L. (2025) · Belügyi Szemle · doi:10.38146/bsz-ajia.2025.v73.i5.pp1017-1035
ÇİN'İN SOSYAL KREDİ SİSTEMİ’NİN ANALİZİ
Beyaz, F. (2025) · Asya Araştırmaları Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.58640/asyar.1526805
Fourcade, M., Guseva, A., Lazarus, J., Maman, D., & Carruthers, B. G. (2025) · Socio-Economic Review · doi:10.1093/ser/mwaf038
Re-Thinking Algorithmic Control: Common Assumptions, Controversies, Misconceptions
Mettler, T. (2025) · International Conference on eDemocracy & eGovernment · doi:10.1109/icedeg65568.2025.11081667 · Cited by 4
China’s Political Leaders and the Evolution of Social Credit System
Hu, W. Z. (2025) · Politics and Development of Contemporary China. · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-94146-7_2
Introduction: The Political Economy of China’s Social Credit System
Hu, W. Z. (2025) · Politics and Development of Contemporary China. · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-94146-7_1
A Sociedade Patriarcal de Gilberto Freyre e a Inteligência Artificial: Uma Reflexão Crítica
Lantyer, V. H. (2025) · Navida Editora eBooks · doi:10.51968/navida.978-65-89020-22-6
Küçük, A. (2025) · Civil Szemle · doi:10.62560/csz.2025.04.6
Reshaping the State: Chinese Political Institutions under Xi Jinping
Tsai, W. (2025) · ANU Press eBooks · doi:10.22459/rts.2025
Yin, M. (2025) · Chinese Sociological Review · doi:10.1080/21620555.2025.2568386
Social Welfare Computing: Managing the harmful consequences of technological innovation
Clemons, E. K., Schreieck, M., & Krcmar, H. (2025) · Electronic Markets · doi:10.1007/s12525-025-00828-1
Dinçer, E. (2025) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-2607-8.ch004
Wang, F., He, J., Chen, S., & xing, S. (2025) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.5767048
Yang, Q., & Chen, M.-C. (2025) · Forests · doi:10.3390/f16121789
Credit Evaluation Algorithm for International Trade Enterprises Based on Artificial Intelligence
Lian, G., Chan, H. Y., & Liang, Q. (2025) · International Conference on Internet of Things and Cloud Computing Technology (IoTCCT) · doi:10.1145/3776865.3776909
Makieu, P., Amara, K., Jalloh, M., & Forde, N. (2025) · Journal of Advance Research in Computer Science & Engineering · doi:10.61841/akxj1g68
IMPLEMENTATION FEATURES OF SOCIAL RATING SYSTEMS IN 2024 IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE
Sokolov, A. V., Jeh, S.-H., & Babajanyan, P. A. (2025) · Vestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta Serija 4 Istorija Regionovedenie Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija · doi:10.15688/jvolsu4.2025.5.17
Setiawan, T., Jawan, J. A., & Nashifa, S. M. (2025) · JURNAL ILMU SOSIAL · doi:10.14710/jis.24.2.2025.409-430
Права і свободи людини в добу штучного інтелекту: міжнародні гарантії конфіденційності та безпеки
Слинько, Д. В., & Калєніченко, Л. І. (2025) · Bulletin of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs · doi:10.32631/v.2025.4.37
Pu, Y., & Chen, H. (2026) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2026.2614049
Rating villagers’ morality: Techno-moral governance via a data scoring system in rural China
Sun, Y., Wang, W. Y., & Li, L. (2026) · Big Data & Society · doi:10.1177/20539517261424163
Soft Power and Power Transition Theory
Yuan, S. (2026) · Politics and Development of Contemporary China. · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-11686-4_2
Limitations of State Surveillance
Cai, Y., & Huang, X. (2026) · Asian Survey · doi:10.1525/as.2026.2859621
Liang, F. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-06918-4_198-1
Self-citationReputation and Social Purpose: How Organizations Can Maintain Legitimacy With Their Stakeholders
THOMAS, M., & Harvey, W. S. (2026) · doi:10.1093/9780198937876.003.0020
Dijital Devlet, Veri Güvenliği ve Kamusal Etik: Küresel Perspektiften Mahremiyet Tartışmaları
Taşar, A. (2026) · Kamu Yönetimi ve Teknoloji Dergisi · doi:10.58307/kaytek.1711405
Zuo, D., & Song, Z. (2026) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su18073267
Digital urbanism and Psychopolitics: Engineered participation in platformed city
Grzegorzewski, M. J. (2026) · Digital Geography and Society · doi:10.1016/j.diggeo.2026.100169
Rôle des systèmes d’efflux dans la production de biofilm in vitro chez Yersinia pestis
Koch, L. (2019) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/8f254490zf092z4483z90cdz7cef3d017c74
Saxena, A. A., Sehgal, C., & Babita (2026) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/979-8-3373-4531-4.ch005
La blockchain en support aux communs
Malafosse, M. (2022) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/9de2a76bz881fz44d7zb6cdz6d2b0abb23f4
Craig, D., Lin, J., & Cunningham, S. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-17690-5_2
Craig, D. R., Lin, J., & Cunningham, S. (2026) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-17690-5_6
Social credit systems and corporate AI development
Tai, W. A. N. G. (2026) · China Journal of Accounting Research · doi:10.1016/j.cjar.2026.100481
Xiong, B., & Lin, F. (2026) · Telematics and Informatics · doi:10.1016/j.tele.2026.102401
Duyguların siyaseti: dijital çağda utanç, itibar ve denetim
Ateşoğlu, N. (2026) · Hitit Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · doi:10.17218/hititsbd.1830364
Governing Credit in the Digital Age: Public Perceptions and Engagement in China's Credit Systems
Chen, M., Loefflad, C., & Großklags, J. (2026) · Regulation & Governance · doi:10.1111/rego.70168
Hashtag activism and the sousveillance of China’s Social Credit System
Liu, X. (2026) · China Information · doi:10.1177/0920203x261456486
Carvalho, P. R., Cabestan, J., Yao-huai, L., & Gouveia, F. C. (2026) · Journal of Information Systems and Technology Management · doi:10.4301/s1807-1775202623002
Coproducing Surveillance: Technology, Law, and State–Society Relations in Asia
Lei, Y.-W., & Lin, C.-F. (2026) · Annual Review of Law and Social Science · doi:10.1146/annurev-lawsocsci-042224-094457
Zulfiqar, M., & Iqbal, U. (2026) · Cureus Journal of Computer Science. · doi:10.7759/s44389-026-00146-3
Cao, J., Wang, J., Skitmore, M., & Gao, P. (2026) · Journal of Civil Engineering and Management · doi:10.3846/jcem.2026.26673
Tsaban, S. (2026) · Research Square · doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10462716/v1
Metadata
- Authors
- Liang, F., Das, V., Kostyuk, N., & Hussain, M. M.
- Venue
- Policy & Internet
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2018-08-02
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 415-453
- ISSN
- 1944-2866 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2887516688
- Cited by
- 617
- References
- 24
- Citations by year
- 2026: 44 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 174 · 2022: 101 · 2021: 97 · 2020: 71 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 7
- FWCI
- 103.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Policy & Internet (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Ethics and Social Impacts of AI
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Big Data Technologies and Applications
- Keywords
- social credit system, big data, credit scoring, data platform, data collection, data aggregation, data analytics, trustworthiness, government agencies, China, data-driven society
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review