cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/38101225

Imagine this: you walk into a public restroom in China, but instead of just grabbing toilet paper… you have to scan a QR code and watch an ad first 😅. Only then will the machine dispense a tiny sheet of tissue. Don’t feel like watching? You can also pay 0.5 RMB (about $0.07) for a bit more paper 💸. This system is designed to cut down waste — some people would abuse free paper before. Now, it’s all about “watch an ad or pay a coin.” Would you sit through an ad for free toilet paper, or just drop the 0.5 yuan? 👀 . . .

Source: China Insider on Instagram.

Comments
  • MountingSuspicion@reddthat.comEnglish
    88·
    1 month ago

    I don’t know what all the hate is about. This is not in every restroom there, but even so, we don’t really have a lot of “public” restrooms in the US. All over Europe there are 1 euro turnstiles or other barriers to go to the restroom in the first place. Ideally we live in luxury gay space communism, but in the interim at least having access to a restroom is nice. I’d love it to be free everywhere, but it’s not always free in Europe either and at least in this example you can access it for free if you bring your own or are able to watch an ad, and in the US you may not realistically have access to one at all. This also ensures that the people accessing the service are the ones paying for it, so it’s not like someone in a small town with less access to government subsidized resources are being taxed so that these people can have free TP. I don’t love the idea, but it’s not novel or any more dystopian than what we have everywhere else.

    • witheyeandclaw@lemmy.sdf.orgEnglish
      91·
      1 month ago

      Multiple replies in here from people saying they’d wipe their poo on the bathroom fixtures. I don’t think reasoning is going to work.

      • MountingSuspicion@reddthat.comEnglish
        31·
        1 month ago

        Yea, I didn’t address that directly but what an insane take. That’s like coming to the US and being upset that tax isn’t integrated into the listed price so refusing to pay it and just stealing, but also worse and grosser because now someone has to clean that up or use it after you. Even if it was the norm over there, which to my understanding it is not, that’s then what you should follow as a guest in a foreign country. I can only imagine/hope these people are not Americans with passports. We get a bad enough reputation as is.