The Russia’s State Social University (RSSU) has launched a “social rating” platform that claims to build a person’s “social portrait” with possible applications in future government policies.
Named “We,” the platform promises to determine a user’s comparative “social status” based on a survey that includes questions about income, family status, benefits, creditworthiness, criminal record, lifestyle and state awards, among others.
“The social rating figures don’t affect [a person’s] life, the availability of services or the career trajectory in any way,” RSSU said on the platform’s website. “But who knows what these figures will mean for you in the future?”
Observers on social media compared the platform’s name “We” to the highly influential 1921 dystopian novel of the same name by Russian author Yevgeny Zamyatin. [The novel “We” describes a world of harmony and conformity within a united totalitarian state. It inspired British author George Orwell to write his own novel, “Nineteen Eighty-Four”, which was published in 1949.]
@[email protected] I got a report for this post, because it uses an “editorialized title, clickbait”. I don’t really agree with the report, so I will let the post stand and leave the discussion open.
However, we currently don’t have a rule concerning editorialized titles. I’d suggest to avoid such titles, at least for the time being. (I find it entirely possible that you didn’t change the title and the difference is to be blamed on an A/B test on the part of the source. In that case, please ignore.)
The original title is “Russian University Launches ‘Social Rating’ Platform”, which could be misleading. Readers in a community called ‘Europe’ may understand this rating is for students of this university, but the university developed this for the Russian citizens. I edited the title for clarity, which is sometimes necessary.
I see. That probably wouldn’t have been my first thought but I see why you changed it. Thanks for the clarification & carry on!