China’s “Smart” Toilets Now Require Ads or Payment for Toilet Paper
Digital daur mein technology hamari zindagi ko aasan bana rahi hai, lekin kabhi kabhi iski “smartness” itni ajeeb ho jaati hai ke insaan sochne par majboor ho jaata hai. Haal hi mein China se ek aisi khabar aayi hai jisne social media par ek nayi behes cher di hai: ab wahan ke kuch public toilets mein toilet paper ke liye ad dekhna ya paise dena paray ga. Ji haan, aapne sahi suna. Videos mein dikhaya gaya hai ke toilet paper sirf tab milay ga jab aap ek ad dekhein ya ek choti si fee ada karein. Kya yeh waqai “smart innovation” hai ya “dystopian” (bad-tareen mustaqbil) ki taraf ek qadam?
The “Smart” Solution to Waste (Waste Kam Karne Ka “Smart” Hal)
Is system ke bananay walon aur Chinese hukam (officials) ka kehna hai ke iska maqsad toilet paper ka zaya (waste) kam karna hai. Unka dawa hai ke log muft toilet paper bohat zyada le jaate hain ya ghalat istemal karte hain. Is maslay ko hal karne ke liye, unhon ne ek high-tech tareeqa nikala hai.
China Insider ki ek viral clip mein dikhaya gaya hai ke kaise ek khatoon ko toilet paper ki sirf ek patti (strip) haasil karne ke liye QR code scan karna para aur phir ek ad dekhna para. Agar ad nahi dekhna to 0.5 yuan (taqreeban $0.07) ki choti si raqam ada karni hogi. Is tarah ke toilet paper ke liye digital payment system ka maqsad logon ko zimmedari se istemal karne par majboor karna hai.
Not The First Time (Yeh Pehli Baar Nahi)
Yeh pehli baar nahi hai ke China ke “smart” restrooms ne is tarah ki behes cher di ho. 2017 mein bhi kuch tourist spots par facial recognition (chehre ki shanakht) walay dispensers lagaye gaye thay. Yeh dispensers har 9 minute mein sirf ek 60 centimeter lambi patti (strip) dete thay, jise baad mein barha kar 10 minute kar diya gaya. Us waqt bhi logon ne isay apni privacy aur sahulat ke khilaf samjha tha.
Social Media Reacts: “Dystopian” or “Genius”? (Social Media Ka Radde Amal: “Dystopian” Ya “Zehin”?)
Naye ad-based system par social media par shadeed radde amal (backlash) samne aaya hai. Bohat se logon ne isay “dystopian” qarar diya hai, yani ek aisa mustaqbil jahan har buniyadi cheez ke liye bhi aapko advertise dekhna ya paise dene paray ga. Logon ka kehna hai ke yeh had se zyada control hai aur is se insani zarooriyat ko tijarat (commerce) se jora ja raha hai. Kai logon ne to yahan tak kaha hai ke woh ab apna toilet paper khud le kar jayenge, taake in adon se bacha ja sake.
Yeh waqai ek dilchasp sawal paida karta hai: Kya technology ko har choti se choti zaroorat par bhi control karna chahiye, ya kuch cheezein insaan ki azaadi par chhor deni chahiye? China mein smart toilet technology ke naam par hone walay yeh iqdamat hamari digital zindagi ke mustaqbil ki ek jhalak hain.
Jabke officials ise waste kam karne ka hal samajhte hain, aam shehri isay apni zindagi mein ek mazeed rukawat aur privacy par hamla tasawwur karte hain. Kya aap toilet paper ke liye ad dekhna pasand karenge, ya aap bhi apni supply sath le kar jayenge? Is sawal ka jawab waqt hi dega.
