Governing with health code: Standardising China's data network systems during COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Platform Studies
• Digital Governance
• Public Health Informatics

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid deployment of digital technologies for public health management.
• Platform studies increasingly examine digital systems as new forms of social and political infrastructure.
• China's Jian Kang Ma (JKM) health code system emerged as a critical tool for pandemic control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze China's Jian Kang Ma (JKM) health code system as a manifestation of the Party State's power.
• To investigate the socio-political dynamics of platform algorithms and governance structures within JKM.
• To contribute to de-westernizing platform studies by examining indigenous logics of digital governance.

Main Methods:

• Platform walkthrough method to examine system architecture and user experience.
• Documentary inquiry to analyze policy documents and official statements related to JKM.
• Actor-network analysis to identify key stakeholders and their influence on platform governance.

Main Results:

• JKM functions as a social infrastructure, consolidating the symbolic and material power of the Party State.
• Platform governance involves multiple actors and administrative layers, not solely monolithic state control.
• The system centralizes data and establishes a nationwide algorithmic standard for COVID-19 governance.
• JKM exemplifies deterritorialisation, reducing local policy variations and promoting a unified national subject.

Conclusions:

• JKM's implementation highlights the complex interplay between technology, state power, and social control in China.
• The system's structure and impact necessitate a nuanced understanding of algorithmic governance beyond Western frameworks.
• Further research is needed to explore the indigenous logics embedded within China's digital governance platforms.