baroqen

[OMNI comment redacted by mod] Their highly developed surveillance state capabilities have actually enabled travel. Every single person is required to have an app that tracks them similarly to the current Apple/Google project, except without any privacy protections, Before you can use pretty much any public service and probably even most private services, you must show your app showing that you are "green" for low risk. If you are yellow for moderate risk or red for high risk, you are supposed to be self-quarantining. I'm not sure about any additional restricions between yellow and red, but I understand you're not allowed to use almost any service if you are either one. This is not an "opt-in" type service as proposed by Google and Apple. You download the app, or you are basically restricted from being able to do anything or go anywhere. On the other hand... the app has enabled the government to deem some people "low risk", and they are now able to travel and go about their lives freely. It has also enabled pretty much everyone in the entire country to find out if they were potentially exposed, because the app is required.

And yes... almost every person has a smart phone. It's difficult to survive in China without one, as it's a requirement for banking and certain other government services. The advent of the coronavirus has only increased the need for every person to have a cell phone.