this post was submitted on 26 Sep 2025
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Watch first, then wipe: Some China’s restrooms put toilet paper behind paywall (pomf2.lain.la)
submitted 2 days ago by Pro@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world
89 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

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.

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[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Advertisement predominantly exists to encourage consumption, this is primarily a means to increase wealth

[–] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What is being advertised?

It’s not markets that make a country capitalist. It’s the concentration of the wealth from those markets. And China has been jailing/executing their billionaires.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 0 points 16 hours ago

Markets don't make something capitalist but when markets drive consumption rather than consumption driving markets that's a sign that capital is gaining power over social welfare. Ad proliferation should be seen as a warning sign towards the social ecosystem.

But you are correct if those ads are promoting socially beneficial choices they may not be a sign of capitalism. Ads that promote healthy choices or taking public transit over driving have their places in socialist societies. I just doubt that they're the whole of what's being advertised in exchange for toilet paper. I suspect companies are finding their way in.

And if the companies were workers cooperatives that would be a different problem but Dengist reforms ensured capitalist participation in the Chinese market so I'd believe it if I saw it but I'm not assuming it's only coops advertising