China is testing bathroom dispensers that force users to watch advertisements in exchange for toilet paper. Officials say the system helps reduce waste.
Public bathrooms in several regions of China are testing new dispensers that they only release toilet paper after the user scans a QR code and sees an online advertisement — a system that is generating a wave of criticism from the public.
Local authorities did not disclose how much equipment is in operation nor did they clarify whether the data collected will be anonymous or monitoredsays .
The dispensers, mounted on wallsare equipped with optical sensors that show a QR code. The user must use the cell phone to connect to the device, which activates the playback of a advertising video in an app for a few seconds.
When the ad ends, the machine releases a limited amount of paper. Those who do not want to see the promotional content can avoid the process by paying 0.5 Yans — approximately six cents.
City officials describe the program as part of an ongoing campaign to reduce waste in public facilities.
Cases have been recorded for some years, both among residents and tourists, carry large amounts of free paper in very busy places, which led some municipal governments to experiment with technological rationing measures.
The new dispensers are an evolution in relation to previous systems — namely those machines with facial recognition installed in 2017 at the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing, which performed facial scanning to identify users and imposed a time restrictionallowing only a small amount of paper every nine minutes.
Proponents of the measure say the new ad-based dispensers use just a simple digital codeinstead of facial recognition, which makes it easier to install and manage. Each piece of equipment is connected, via a low-power module, to an advertising platform capable of displaying localized or targeted videos.
The public reaction, however, has been quite critical. Videos circulating on Chinese social networks show users angry with the process. Critics question both its practical usefulness and impact on the dignity of users.
“That China, even toilet paper makes you watch ads. Dignity is no longer free, it is now sponsored”, wrote a user on the social network X. Others noted that the system harms those who do not have mobile data, battery on your cell phone or change to pay for the alternative option.
The debate also reignited the discussion about the hybrid economic model of the country. The rapid adoption of digital commerce and cashless transactions in China has driven by technological innovationbut also created new ways of monetization in everyday life.
What began as an attempt to stop paper theft has become, in the eyes of many citizens, a symbol of a broader tension, where public infrastructure intersects with private profit and behavioral surveillance.
