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Comment by htatche | Hacker News Reader

I’m just picturing a scenario where the fridge won’t open its door unless you finish watching an AI generated, very low quality, scammy ad. Looking at you, YouTube…

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Philip K Dick's worst nightmares are coming true.

Ray Bradbury's worst fears came true a long time ago.

The Pedestrian Short Story https://xpressenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/Stories/The-Ped...

Blind Man Arrested for Walking with Cane https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3UOccxRHCYw

Man Arrested for Walking Home in Snow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gawzO3afNKw

"Should you really be having that 3rd ice-cream today?" the fridge said. It sounded smug.

There will come a time when it isn't 'They're spying on me through my phone' anymore. Eventually, it will be 'My phone is spying on me'.

I'm just picturing me watching their stupid ad, then opening the door and permanently disabling the locking mechanism, with a sawz-all, if necessary.

By that point, they'll have passed an enhanced DMCA law that makes it a crime to tamper with or modify corporate property... see, you can only "license" the object but never own it.

I tried to disable my washing machine lock. Bricked it. Bought a Speed Queen.

Where do the quarters go? (I've only seen SQs in laundromats.)

We need to create a type of business type for ad businesses. We have S-Corps, C-Corps, etc. We need an Ad-Corp. And the rule should be if your business sells any ads at all your business gets automatically converted to an ad-corp and you get taxed on revenue.

What about a toilet that won't give you loo roll unless you watch an ad first? ( https://metro.co.uk/2025/09/17/dystopian-toilets-wont-give-l... ). As the toilet makers jump on to the AI bandwagon, soon toilets will be photographing your butt to fingerprint your anus, while data brokers sells your poop data to ... ? ( https://www.businessinsider.com/scientists-designed-a-smart-... )

That is dystopian, but to be fair, this is China. They are literally rolling out facial ID tech to prevent paper thieves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2bZCwJeVc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foT2kCByOgs

> soon toilets will be photographing your butt to fingerprint your anus, while data brokers sells your poop data

Life imitates art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJklHwoYgBQ

You should read Ubik

“The door refused to open. It said, “Five cents, please.” He searched his pockets. No more coins; nothing. “I’ll pay you tomorrow,” he told the door. Again he tried the knob. Again it remained locked tight. “What I pay you,” he informed it, “is in the nature of a gratuity; I don’t have to pay you.”

“I think otherwise,” the door said. “Look in the purchase contract you signed when you bought this conapt.”

In his desk drawer he found the contract; since signing it he had found it necessary to refer to the document many times. Sure enough; payment to his door for opening and shutting constituted a mandatory fee. Not a tip.

“You discover I’m right,” the door said. It sounded smug.

From the drawer beside the sink Joe Chip got a stainless steel knife; with it he began systematically to unscrew the bolt assembly of his apt’s money-gulping door.

“I’ll sue you,” the door said as the first screw fell out.

Joe Chip said, “I’ve never been sued by a door. But I guess I can live through it.”

I think the nice thing about the modern Internet of things, is that all you have to do is probably wait about 2 or 3 years in the case of the Samsung refrigerator, and the ad software will already be out of support.

And then force an AI chatbot on it with feelings. Offend it and it will lie, refuse service, and malfunction in protest until you pay more money.

"Please drink a verification can of MTN DEW™"

You have to watch an ad before you can open the fridge to get your verification can though...

And with eye/face tracking it can tell if you really watched it, with a smile.

Sorry, you are all out of door unlocks for today!

Dance along with the characters of the new Series, now streaming on $sponsor, and achieve a score of at least 6/10 to get another door unlock your door.

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Your dance was not good enough, try again or buy a door unlock with the flash discount code "Distopia" for 99ct.

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