China’s latest technological advancement in public restrooms has sparked outrage and disbelief across social media platforms. New “smart” toilet paper dispensers installed throughout the country are requiring users to either watch advertisements or pay a small fee before receiving toilet paper, creating what many are calling a deeply unsettling example of commercialized basic necessities.
Viral videos circulating on Chinese social media show the dispensers in action, with users forced to scan QR codes with their smartphones and sit through promotional content before the machines release a single strip of paper. According to reports, people can choose between viewing an advertisement or paying 0.5 yuan – roughly seven cents – per strip of toilet paper.
The public reaction has been swift and overwhelmingly critical. Social media users have expressed their frustration with the system, with one person writing, “I’m walking with my own paper everywhere just in case.” Others have made pointed observations about the implications of such extreme monetization, with one user remarking, “China is more capitalistic than USA.”
The sentiment of dystopian overreach resonated strongly among critics, with one commenter stating, “Ok, this is the first actually dystopian thing I have seen.” However, some users have attempted to find humor in the situation, suggesting people could at least get some “entertainment” while using the facilities.
Government officials have defended the controversial system as a waste-reduction measure, claiming that previous free dispensers led to excessive consumption of toilet paper by some users. This justification, however, has done little to quell public criticism of what many see as an unnecessary commercialization of basic sanitary needs.
The current system represents an evolution of China’s ongoing experimentation with bathroom technology. In 2017, facial recognition dispensers were introduced at tourist locations, limiting users to one 60-centimeter strip per scan with a nine-minute waiting period between uses. By 2019, these systems had extended the waiting period to ten minutes per person.
Critics have identified a significant practical flaw in the advertisement-based system: users with dead phone batteries or no spare change could find themselves in genuinely problematic situations. While officials frame the initiative as a solution to waste management, users are questioning whether watching advertisements should be a prerequisite for accessing basic sanitary supplies in public facilities.