Sure but on the spectrum of tracking data where exactly are you going to draw the line? I'm not saying I agree with what they are doing but clearly these kinds of systems already exist. This kind of reward and punishment system exists pretty much in any large enough organization. What is an internal review and promotion system if not some kind of systematic tracking of data to reward "good" behavior?

If the Chinese government is viewed as one giant organization then again this is just a logical extension of such systems.

They are just taking a cue from credit rating agencies.

I would not be okay with my company rating me based on ML computed metrics of my performance based on everything that I do in (and out?) of the office

How is a credit rating different from citizenship rating? Your buying patterns reveal an awful lot. Why is one ok and the other isn't?

People's lives should not be affected by how loyal they are to the state (up until the point of actual violence).

People's access to credit should be affected by how they behaved with previous loans.

Credit ratings are about how risky it is to lend you money, not where you are allowed to live, drive, and work.

They often work out to the same thing. I've been denied work and housing due to credit rating problems.

Is that really true? Access to credit determines a bunch of things and I'd say it's not just limited to where you live, drive, and work. It can sometimes even determine whether you're able to pay for healthcare or not.