My, my, my Bologna...

China's ruling regime has long been a darling of the American media, which possesses a deep-seated love of authoritarian governments and policies. In the past few years, China has become known for what's called a social credit system – which is a bit like the hated practice of credit scores, but instead of focusing on economic activity, it punishes people if their behavior is not considered virtuous. It involves widespread mass surveillance.

Now the Italian city of Bologna is becoming the first place in the Western world to introduce a social credit system for its citizenry. It has been speculated that it may soon be the rule throughout all of Italy.

Bologna officials call it a "smart citizen wallet" that awards "digital points" based on a person's conduct, especially if the person "does not receive sanctions from the municipal authority."

Think it won't happen in America? Remember, the system of credit scores that we have – which effectively confers titles of nobility - only dates to the late 1980s. Americans in the 1970s probably never thought that oppressive system could happen.