Newsom Comes Back From China, Immediately Touts Mass Child Surveillance Program

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his state’s new data monitoring system for students had reached a pivotal development point shortly after returning from visiting China.

The Cradle-to-Career Data System, which the state of California says will “provide data-informed tools to help students reach their college career goals,” has “received its first data installment” and has begun “integrating over 1 billion data points,” according to a Nov. 1 press release from the California governor’s office. Newsom recently returned from visiting China on Oct. 29, during which time he test drove Chinese electric vehicles, tobogganed down the Great Wall of China and met with General Secretary Xi Jinping, according to multiple reports. (RELATED: Gavin Newsom’s China Trip Shines Light On California’s Partnership With ‘Malign’ CCP Influence Operation)

The system analyzes a student using metrics including K-12 days of attendance, LGBT status, parental education level, homelessness and foster youth status, according to a list of data points on Cradle-to-Career’s website.

“By leveraging billions of data points, California’s Cradle-to-Career data system will be a game-changer for improving the quality of life for millions of Californians and highlighting ways to improve opportunity in the classroom and access to the workforce,” Newsom said, according to his office. “Through insights and innovation only made possible by this system, the Golden State is leading the nation in equitably connecting our education system to the workforce to ensure every Californian has the freedom to succeed.”

Following the publication of this piece, Newsom’s office disputed the DCNF’s characterization of Cradle-to-Career as “surveillance” and noted the announcement was not related to Newsom’s trip to China.

The Cradle-to-Career data system will provide “detailed information on education and career outcomes, workforce trends, and more — broken down by race, gender, ability and geography to illuminate and address areas of strength and needed growth and any inequities,” the press statement continued.

The data system, which will be implemented by California’s Government Operations Agency, is purportedly designed to help students and families plan, apply and pay for college, and help educators monitor students, Cradle-to-Career’s website states.

Additionally, the system will allow “advocates and researchers” to “analyze data collected from multiple sources to shape policy and advance educational equity,” according to Cradle-to-Career’s website.

Newsom’s announcement came just a day after a Daily Caller News Foundation report revealed that a Chinese influence operation known as the Chinese People’s Association For Friendship With Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) took credit for inviting Newsom to China.

While in Beijing, Newsom met with CPAFFC’s Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secretary and chairman, Yang Wanming, on Oct. 25, the DCNF reported. On Oct. 26, Yang was also present when Newsom’s delegation met with the Beijing municipal committee’s party secretary as well as when Newsom attended the Great Wall Climate Dialogue, which was hosted by CPAFFC, the DCNF found.

On paper, CPAFFC is overseen by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which, in turn, serves China’s State Council, according to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2014, China’s State Council announced a new “social credit” system, according to a Chinese government report.

China’s social credit system rates users across five dimensions: credit history, ability to fulfill a contract, personal characteristics, behavior and preference and social relationships. Users may lose social credit points for spreading false information, smoking in restricted areas and criminal activity, among other things, The Verge reported.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a response from Newsom’s office.

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