China Is Going to Limit Travel for People With Low ‘Social Credit’

China will start barring people who score low on its so-called “social credit system” from traveling on flights and trains for up to a year.

Those who fall short on the social credit system, which monitors and ranks the behavior of Chinese citizens, could be banned from air and rail travel depending on what offense they commit.

People who are found to have caused trouble on flights, used expired tickets, smoked on trains or spreading false rumors about terrorism are liable to be restricted, statements from China’s National Development and Reform Commission said, according to Reuters. Others who could potentially face being blocked from travel are those who haven’t paid fines or social insurance.

The move, which will go into effect on May 1, is a part of the Chinese government’s plans to measure each person’s so-called social credit score. Although the rule isn't officially rolled out, Reuters reports there are indications China already implemented a social credit scoring on travelers as early as last year. China’s Supreme People’s Court said in a 2017 press conference that 6.15 million Chinese citizens were blocked from air travel over social misdeeds.