Improving the Level of Social Security Governance in the Digital Era

With the widespread application of new-generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing, the digital economy has penetrated all areas of social production and life at an unprecedented speed and breadth, becoming an important engine driving economic and social development. However, it is worth noting that the vigorous development of digital technology has also brought a series of challenges to social security governance. Compared with traditional social security issues, these problems are highly complex and cascading. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "We must improve laws, regulations, and policy systems, perfect institutions and mechanisms, and raise the modern level of our country's digital economy governance system and governance capacity." [1]1 Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Our country has successively issued policy documents such as the "Overall Layout Plan for the Construction of Digital China" and the "Key Work Points for the Development of the Digital Economy in 2025," providing policy guarantees for stimulating the vitality of the digital economy, optimizing the digital social environment, and strengthening the digital security shield. We should make overall plans and coordinate efforts to continuously improve the level of social security governance in the digital era.

随着人工智能、大数据、云计算等新一代信息技术的广泛应用，数字经济以前所未有的速度与广度渗透到社会生产生活的各个领域，成为推动经济社会发展的重要引擎。然而值得注意的是，数字技术的蓬勃发展，也为社会安全治理带来了一系列挑战。相较于传统社会安全问题，这些问题具有高度复杂性与级联性。习近平总书记指出，“要健全法律法规和政策制度，完善体制机制，提高我国数字经济治理体系和治理能力现代化水平”。我国先后出台《数字中国建设整体布局规划》《2025年数字经济发展工作要点》等政策文件，为激发数字经济活力、优化数字社会环境、筑牢数字安全屏障等提供了政策保障，应统筹谋划、协同推进，持续提升数字时代社会安全治理水平。

Establish a precise identification mechanism for social security issues

构建社会安全问题精准识别机制

First, precisely identify the overall operational characteristics of the economy and society under new business forms and models of the digital economy, as well as their interactive relationships, laying a cognitive foundation for the systematic governance of social security issues in the digital era. As the core element of digital economy development, data involves complex interest relationships across businesses, organizations, and levels in the processes of confirmation and authorization, circulation and trading, and income distribution. Relying solely on traditional models makes it difficult to comprehensively and accurately identify potential problems. Therefore, it is necessary to vigorously strengthen the construction of an early warning mechanism for social security issues, fully utilize advanced technical means to conduct real-time monitoring and precise prediction of potential risks, analyze risk transmission mechanisms, and promptly curb the spread of risks. Second, precisely identify the fluctuation risks of the digital economy development environment. Breakthrough innovations in digital technologies, iterative upgrades of business models, and the intensive introduction of relevant incentive policies often induce concentrated market investment inflows, leading to fluctuation risks in the digital economy development environment. This requires properly balancing the relationship between an effective market and a competent government, [2] both building a good ecological environment for fair competition in the digital technology market and giving play to the government's guiding role in digital economy development. Finally, precisely identify some potential problems in digital economy development, such as widening income gaps between groups and regional development imbalances. For economically developed regions, the deep integration of digital technology and traditional industries should be advocated and promoted, digital industry clusters should be built, and innovation highlands should be cultivated; for economically underdeveloped regions, the exploration of distinctive development paths for the digital economy should be accelerated, and a synergistic linkage mechanism between industrial transfer undertaking and emerging economies should be constructed.

首先，精准识别数字经济新业态、新模式下经济社会的整体运行特征及其互动关系，为数字时代社会安全问题的系统治理奠定认知基础。作为数字经济发展的核心要素，数据在确权授权、流通交易、收益分配过程中，涉及跨业务、跨组织、跨层级的复杂利益关系，单纯依靠传统模式难以全面、精准地识别潜在问题。因此，必须大力加强社会安全问题的预警机制建设，充分运用先进技术手段，对潜在风险实时监测与精准预判，剖析风险传导机制，及时遏制风险蔓延。其次，精准识别数字经济发展环境的波动风险。数字技术的突破性创新、商业模式的迭代升级以及相关激励政策的密集出台，往往诱发市场投资的集中涌入，导致数字经济发展环境的波动风险。这就需要统筹好有效市场和有为政府的关系，既要构建数字技术市场公平竞争的良好生态环境，又要发挥政府在数字经济发展中的引导作用。最后，精准识别数字经济发展中的一些潜在问题，如群体间收入差距扩大、区域间发展失衡等。对于经济发达地区，应倡导和促进数字技术与传统产业深度融合，打造数字产业集聚区，培育创新高地；对于经济欠发达地区，加快探索数字经济特色化发展路径，构建产业转移承接和新兴经济之间的协同联动机制。

Improve the social security governance system

完善社会安全治理体系

First, governance entities must break free from the conceptual constraints of traditional security governance, establish a holistic and systematic view, regard the digital economy as an organic whole, and comprehensively consider the connections and interactions between all links and elements. Establish the concept of "prevention first, governance as key," deeply analyze the complex contradictions presented by data elements in the digital economy during processes such as confirmation and authorization, circulation and trading, and income distribution. By accurately grasping these contradictions, formulate targeted prevention strategies in advance, resolve risks in their budding stage, and lay a solid foundation for the sustained and healthy development of the digital economy. Second, strengthen cross-departmental collaborative governance mechanisms. Improve prevention and control management: once the early warning mechanism is triggered, promptly initiate prevention and control measures to confine the impact of problems to the smallest scope, effectively enhancing the capacity to resolve social security issues. Actively explore and establish a sound institutional system for social security governance. On the basis of the existing Cybersecurity Law and Data Security Law, [3] further focus on the prevention and control of social security issues and refine relevant regulations. For example, with regard to personal information leakage in the digital economy, clarify stricter legal responsibilities and punitive measures. Finally, promote the adjustment and improvement of governance systems and policy norms, continuously track the development trends of the digital economy, promptly update the social security risk prevention and control system, integrate prevention and control requirements into the policy formulation process, and build a comprehensive, systematic, and efficient social security governance system.

首先，治理主体要破除传统安全治理的观念束缚，树立整体观和系统观，将数字经济视为一个有机整体，全面考量各个环节和要素之间的关联与互动。树立“防范为先、治理为要”的理念，深入剖析数字经济中数据要素在确权授权、流通交易、收益分配等过程中呈现的复杂矛盾。通过精准把握这些矛盾，提前制定针对性的防范策略，将风险化解于萌芽状态，为数字经济持续健康发展筑牢根基。其次，强化跨部门协同的治理机制。完善防控管理，一旦触发预警机制，迅速启动防控措施，将问题影响控制在最小范围，切实提升社会安全问题解决能力。积极探索并建立健全社会安全治理的制度体系。在现有网络安全法、数据安全法的基础上，进一步聚焦社会安全问题防控，对相关法规进行细化。例如，针对数字经济中的个人信息泄露问题，明确更严格的法律责任与惩处措施。最后，推动治理制度和政策规范的调整完善，持续跟踪数字经济发展态势，及时更新社会安全风险防控制度体系，将防控要求融入政策制定流程，构建全面、系统、高效的社会安全治理体系。

Accelerate the construction of a smart management platform for social security

加快建设社会安全智慧管理平台

Integrate massive data resources through multiple channels, grasp the real-time state of social operation, rely on the platform to automatically collect front-end sensing information, build a full-process closed-loop management mechanism of "sensing—analysis—push—response—linkage," construct an intelligent, full-chain, full-cycle security management network, and use digital means to address the difficult challenges of the digital era. On the one hand, strengthen the construction of a real-time data collection and computing power support system. Utilize technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence to carry out dynamic monitoring covering areas such as the operation of digital enterprises, digital financial transactions, and online public opinion on people's livelihoods, develop risk prediction models, and achieve precise analysis and judgment. For example, when abnormal capital flows are detected on a certain digital financial platform, the early warning mechanism will be automatically triggered, pushing risk information to regulatory authorities, simultaneously generating a joint disposal plan, initiating rapid response actions, resolving financial risks, and effectively maintaining financial order stability. On the other hand, apply digital twin technology to digitally simulate the real world and conduct predictive analysis of future trends and risks. Digital twin models can keenly capture early signs of potential risks. Taking supply chain risk as an example, when the model detects a lag in the production progress of a core supplier or an abnormality in the logistics transportation process, it can quickly predict the scope and degree of impact of the abnormal information on the entire supply chain based on massive historical data and a risk assessment matrix. Through predictive analysis, the smart management platform can provide intelligent decision-making bases for buffer strategies and emergency plans for policy makers and risk prevention and control departments, effectively reducing the impact during the operation of the digital economy and building a security shield for the stable, healthy, and high-quality development of the digital economy.

要多渠道整合海量数据资源，实时掌握社会运行状态，依托平台自动采集前端感知信息，构建“感知—分析—推送—响应—联动”的全流程闭环管理机制，建设智慧化、全链条、全周期的安全管理网络，以数字化手段应对数字时代的难题挑战。一方面，加强实时数据采集和算力支撑体系建设。利用大数据、人工智能等技术，开展覆盖数字企业经营、数字金融交易、网络民生舆情等领域的动态监测，开发风险预测模型，实现精准研判。例如，当监测到某数字金融平台出现异常资金流动时，预警机制会被自动触发，向监管部门推送风险信息，同步生成联合处置方案，快速响应行动，化解金融风险，有效维护金融秩序稳定。另一方面，应用数字孪生技术对现实世界进行数字化模拟，并对未来趋势及风险开展预测分析。数字孪生模型能敏锐捕捉潜在风险的早期迹象。以供应链风险为例，当模型监测到核心供应商的生产进度滞后，或物流运输过程出现异常时，可基于海量历史数据和风险评估矩阵，快速预测异常信息对整个供应链的影响范围与程度。通过预测分析，智慧管理平台能够为政策制定者和风险防控部门提供缓冲策略、应急预案的智能化决策依据，有效降低数字经济运行过程中的冲击，为数字经济的平稳、健康、高质量发展构筑安全屏障。

Better respond to the concerns and expectations of the masses

更好回应群众关切与期盼

Attention should be paid to micro-level individual situations, timely respond to the concerns and expectations of the masses, and promote the resolution of social risks in the digital era. Through traditional channels such as news media and petition work, [4] as well as new digital platforms such as government official websites and "two microblogs and one client," [5] accurately understand public opinion and people's sentiment, scientifically analyze and judge contradictions, and properly resolve them. Comprehensively consider the interest demands of different groups and provide specialized services for disadvantaged groups. For example, fully consider the ability and needs of the elderly to use smart devices, and combine online and offline methods to provide diverse services such as dedicated personnel assistance. Improve risk communication mechanisms, introduce legal aid, and resolve disputes within the framework of the rule of law. In addition, sustained and persistent efforts should be made to build a complete guarantee system. Give play to the foundational role of the social security system, strengthen coordination between the subsistence allowance and other specialized assistance systems, and accelerate the improvement of a stratified and categorized social assistance system. [6] Through methods such as government procurement of services and the introduction of social organization participation, ensure that groups facing the digital divide receive effective assistance. Establish a mechanism for the protection of workers' rights and interests in the digital era, especially adapting to the characteristics of new forms of employment, accelerating the improvement of the unemployment insurance and social assistance systems, and perfecting the work-related injury insurance system for flexible employment. By broadening participation channels, lowering participation threshold requirements, and using digital technology to simplify management procedures, incorporate workers in new forms of employment into the social security system, thereby fully safeguarding workers' rights and promoting social fairness and harmony.

要关注微观个体情境，及时回应群众关切与期盼，推动化解数字时代的社会风险。借助新闻媒体、信访工作等传统渠道以及政府官网、“两微一端”等新型数字化平台，精准了解民意民情，科学研判和妥善化解矛盾。综合考虑不同群体的利益诉求，为困难群体提供专门服务。例如，充分考虑老年人使用智能设备的能力与需求，通过线上线下结合的方式，提供专人对接等多样化服务。完善风险沟通机制，引入法律援助，在法治轨道上解决争端。此外，应当久久为功，构建完善的保障体系。发挥社会保障体系的兜底作用，加强低保与其他专项救助制度的协调，加快健全分层分类的社会救助体系。可通过政府购买服务、引入社会组织参与等方式，确保面临数字鸿沟的群体得到有效救助。建立数字时代的劳动者权益保护机制，特别是要适应新就业形态的特点，加快健全失业保险、社会救助制度，完善灵活就业的工伤保险制度。通过拓宽参保渠道、降低参保资格门槛、运用数字技术简化管理程序等方式，将新就业形态劳动者纳入社会保障体系，从而充分保障劳动者权益，促进社会公平与和谐。

(The author: Wang Hongmei, is a specially-appointed researcher of the Beijing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era Research Center and a professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics.)

（作者：王红梅，系北京市习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想研究中心特约研究员、中央财经大学教授）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心