> AG Barr is actively trying to get rid of encrypted communications
One AG trying != it happened.
> and social scores are just as possible to implement in the US as in China
Not under the current laws, no.
> we already know that a form of such scoring has already been applied to those thought to perhaps be "terrorists".
No, there is no “terrorist” score that comes up based on posting tweets about how much you hate the US government when you go to apply for a job. In fact, it would probably be worse for your job prospects in the tech industry if you had public posts supporting the current admin.
I just wanted to point out that it is not just Barr. Various LEOs pine for a way to get a legal way to just 'press a button to decrypt'. Comey advocated for it. So did Holder. So yeah, it did not happen yet, but given the steady push, eventually, it will. It is only a matter of time.
As to the terrorist score, you are right. That would be too simple to target.
Instead, we have amalgam of various private entities collecting information and selling it to highest bidder. At best, the score is distributed.
