Australia Rolls Out Digital ID System, With Plans for Carbon Tracking and Social Credit Scores

This system is designed to streamline identification across various sectors, such as banking and credit, and potentially extend to carbon usage tracking and social credit scores in the future​.

Earlier this week, the Australian government also implemented strict regulations regarding social media access. Children under 16 will now be banned from accessing social media, which many see as a precursor to more widespread bans for users of all ages.

Critics warn that this could serve as a means of further controlling online discourse by enabling the government to restrict access to social media platforms at their discretion.

Social credit scores

The expanded Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS) is rolling out in four phases in the coming year, which may overlap or be preceded by pilots.

The Digital ID bill passed the Australian Senate in April this year and critics warn the growing push for carbon tracking and social credit scores in Australia present significant threats to civil liberties and privacy.

Social credit scores, which track individuals’ behavior across various aspects of life—including financial transactions, social interactions, and online presence—pose an obvious threat to freedom of speech and privacy.

The system works by evaluating citizens based on their activities, both online and offline, potentially punishing those whose actions or opinions do not align with state-approved standards.

In China, a social credit system has already been implemented, and its potential for abuse is widely discussed. Citizens there face consequences ranging from travel bans to social ostracism if their scores fall too low.

The risk is that similar measures could be used in Australia, where the government could restrict access to services, travel, or even employment based on an individual’s social credit score monitoring infringes on personal privacy, as every action and interaction becomes a data point used to assess an individual’s “worthiness” in the eyes of the state.

Carbon tracking

Carbon usage tracking introduces another layer of potential government control. While the goal of reducing carbon footprints to combat climate change may seem noble, linking carbon usage to personal freedom can become problematic. If a government can track and restrict an individual’s carbon emissions, it might begin regulating personal behavior in ways that affect day-to-day life. For instance, it could impose penalties or restrictions on the amount of energy you use in your home, the kind of transportation you take, or even your dietary choices—all based on how much carbon you are deemed to be emitting.

This could lead to a “social credit score” linked not just to behavior but to environmental impact, where individuals who exceed a certain carbon threshold could face restrictions or penalties.

The implementation of such measures would effectively force individuals to change their lifestyles to meet government-imposed environmental quotas, undermining personal autonomy .

If these measures are not challenged, they will radically diminish personal freedoms, stifle dissent, and ultimately lead to a society where individual autonomy is subjugated to authoritarian government control.

As these systems roll out in Australia, they represent a chilling reminder that the balance between societal benefits and personal freedoms must be carefully maintained, or we risk living in a future where our every action is tracked, scored, and regulated by the state.