A Hangzhou court rolled out a WeChat mini-program that issues "wanted posters," encouraging users to friends and family with outstanding debtsStep aside, Tekashi 6ix9ine — a court in Hangzhou is hoping to produce this year’s biggest snitches.A district court in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province has started issuing ads on messaging app WeChat, targeting the friends and family of suspected debtors. The hook: report your friends’ new debts, and you’ll be rewarded with a cash payout.In an effort to chase down laolai (老赖) — derogatory slang used for people who don’t pay back their debts — Jianggan District court announced in an article on their website that their WeChat mini-program would use big data to circulate targeted ads among the friend circles of outstanding debtors. According to early reports, those that snitch could receive a percentage of the amount owed as a reward.The initiative falls in line with China’s still-developing social credit system, which will be fully implemented by 2020.Related:Into the Black Mirror: The Truth Behind China’s Social Credit SystemWhich naturally begs the question — who tops this list? According to Sina.com, one of these spots goes to Zhu Lifeng, who along with her late husband, racked up 177 million RMB (equivalent to around $2.48 million USD) of debt due to failed repayments of bank loans. Ad for Zhu Linfeng (source: Weibo)Many people took to social media to discuss the controversial new policy. On Weibo, some disparaged the move as a privacy violation, while others felt that the debtors featured in the ads had already given up their rights by owing so much money in the first place.Related:Click-through: How Would You Do Under China’s Social Credit System?
