TECH NEWS – China has a one-party system, but what appeared on social media the other day made it even worse.

In some respects, China is beginning to resemble the dystopian world in George Orwell’s 1984, where citizens’ behavior is monitored using social credit scores. Public toilets can now be added to this bizarre but very real situation. According to a China Insider Instagram post, people must now scan a QR code on designated paper holders in some public restrooms. Then, they must view an advertisement on their smartphone to receive a limited amount of toilet paper.

If they need more paper or simply want to skip the advertisement, which can also be used for propaganda, they must pay 0.5 yuan (about 70 cents). However, Chinese authorities defend this commercial practice as a waste prevention measure that discourages citizens from using more toilet paper than necessary. Of course, this depends on one’s eating habits, so it’s uncertain whether one’s rear end will remain sufficiently dry after using the basic amount.

Unsurprisingly, comments under the China Insider post refer to the Orwellian atmosphere created by the measure. This is not the most extreme measure taken by the Chinese authorities in recent years to regulate access to freely available services, of course. In 2017, for example, toilet paper dispensers equipped with facial recognition technology were installed in Beijing’s Temple of Heaven Park, raising serious questions about user privacy and state surveillance.

In summary, if someone uses a public restroom, they may encounter propaganda. It’s not guaranteed that citizens will only see advertisements; more serious, politically charged content may also be displayed for the user. This may be especially true if the ruling party’s dominance begins to waver and the Chinese Communist Party resorts to greater severity.

Source: WCCFTech