In 2025, a wave of high-tech toilet paper dispensers in Chinese public restrooms sparked global debate by requiring users to trade their time and attention for basic hygiene. To access a small portion of paper, individuals must use their smartphones to scan a QR code displayed on a wall-mounted dispenser. This action triggers a mandatory digital advertisement—often featuring products like luxury sedans, detergent, or investment apps—that typically lasts about 30 seconds. Only after the commercial completes does the machine release a pre-rationed supply, which users have described as roughly six squares or a 60 cm strip.
For those in an immediate emergency or unwilling to participate in the ad exchange, the system provides a paid alternative. Users can bypass the commercial by paying a small fee of 0.5 RMB, roughly equivalent to seven US cents, to receive the paper immediately. If the initial ration is insufficient, the entire process must be repeated, including watching a second advertisement, to obtain more paper.
Municipal officials and facility managers defend these “smart” dispensers as a necessary tool for resource management and waste reduction. Public restrooms in high-traffic tourist areas have historically struggled with “grab hags” or local residents who would pilfer large quantities of free toilet paper for personal use at home. By adding a digital barrier, authorities have reported that paper usage has dropped significantly in pilot areas. This initiative is part of a broader “toilet revolution” that previously included dispensers using facial recognition technology to limit individual consumption to one ration every nine minutes.
The system has faced intense criticism from netizens who label the experience as a “dystopian” invasion of privacy. Critics highlight the extreme inconvenience for visitors who may have a dead phone battery, no internet access, or simply no time to spare during a medical emergency. While some locals argue the system is an improvement over the many public restrooms in China that provide no paper at all, others see it as a grotesque parody of capitalism that monetizes one of the most private and essential human needs.
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