CHILLING footage has revealed the use of dystopian toilet timers in China - an ominous development in the surveillance-obsessed state.
Not only does China’s Yungang Buddhist Grottoes boast 51,000 statutes carved into 252 caves and niches from 1,500 years ago, they are now home to the first timed toilets.
A viral video shared on various Chinese news and social media sites shows a set of timers installed above a row of toilet cubicles in a female washroom at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
Each stall has their own digital timer.
When a stall is unoccupied, the pixelated LED screen displays the word “empty” in green.
If in use, it shows the number of minutes and seconds the door has been locked.
The video has had plenty of reactions on Chinese social media site, Weibo, with some suggesting it would discourage visitors from scrolling on their phones will sitting on the toilet.
One person said: "A tourist site isn’t an office – who would spend their time in the toilets? Is it really necessary?"
Another added: "Why don’t they just spend the money on building more washrooms?"
Others said that it would help those who have actual medical emergencies and may not be able to call for assistance.
Speaking to the Xioxiang Morning Herald, a staff member said the timers were to cope with an increase in visitors.
They said: “They aren’t there to control the duration you could use the bathrooms.
“It’s impossible that we would kick someone out [of the bathroom stall] midway.
"And we aren’t setting a time limit such as five or 10 minutes of how long one could use the toilets."
The original video was taken by a visitor who also spoke to the paper.
They said: “I found it quite advanced technologically so you don’t have to queue outside or knock on a bathroom door.
“But I also found it a little bit embarrassing. It felt like I was being monitored.”
According to state owned newspaper Nanchang Evening News, the toilet times have been installed since May 1 under the guise of safety measures.
China introduced a social credit in 2020 by analysing social media habits. So what does that mean?
The social credit system was designed to reward 'good citizens' and punish those considered lazy or "uncivilised".
A person's "rank" is determined by four areas - administrative affairs, commercial activities, judicial system and social behaviour.
Citizens who have been found in violation of any of these codes, are unable to book a plane flight, and are prevented from renting or buying property or secure a loan.
Those with a good credit standing will be given a fast pass to board trains quicker and other financial benefits.
The UNESCO world heritage site received three million visitors in 2023 and is one of China's biggest attractions on the Shanxi province.
The chilling development which threatens to violate citizens' most basic privacy is not a new concept.
In 2020, a tech firm in Beijing installed digital timers above toilet cubicles in their office.
The trend keeps in line with China's social credit system which was introduced in 2020.
The system blacklists "lazy" citizens who get into debt or spend their time playing video games by analysing user's socials media habits.
It also grants real financial credit to citizens whose lifestyles are deemed to be more wholesome.
According to MarketPlace.org, those with a low-rating are unable to book a plane flight, and are prevented from renting or buying property or secure a loan.
