China is reportedly considering the implementation of a digital identification (ID) system within the Metaverse and other online virtual worlds. China Mobile, a state-owned telecommunications company, has proposed the creation of this system, which would be based on users’ “natural characteristics” and “social characteristics.”
The main goal of this digital ID system is to maintain order and safety in the virtual world. It would contain personal information and identifiable traits, including occupation details, and the data would be permanently stored and shared with relevant authorities.
To illustrate the benefits, an example was given where law enforcement could use the digital ID to locate and penalize a problematic user causing disturbances in the Metaverse.
What sets this proposal apart is its similarity to China’s existing social credit system, which is still being developed. This national infrastructure assigns scores and rankings to citizens based on their behavior and has been used for enforcement purposes. In the past, individuals with poor social credit scores were denied the ability to purchase plane tickets millions of times.
China Mobile presented this initiative during discussions with a focus group organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN-affiliated agency. The group will meet again in October to potentially vote on these proposals.
If approved, these proposals could have a significant impact on telecommunication companies and technology firms. Chinese companies are actively contributing more metaverse-related proposals compared to their counterparts in the United States and Europe. This indicates a strategic effort by Chinese entities to set the standards for the metaverse if its usage becomes widespread.
These developments have raised concerns about the implications of a metaverse where identity protocols are controlled by Chinese authorities. Some contributors to the focus group have urged governments to consider whether this aligns with their vision of the future.
