Schizophrenia sufferer mistakes smart fridge ad for psychotic episode

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reddit, moderation, and “graveyard” threads

  • Commenters note that the linked legal-advice subreddit is heavily moderated, producing pages of deleted comments plus lengthy mod explanations.
  • Some see this as necessary to keep threads on-topic and avoid drama; others find the UX jarring and use it to criticize Reddit overall.
  • AskHistorians is cited as an example where very strict, transparent moderation produces high-quality discussion, contrasted with perceived bias or arbitrariness on many other subs.

Smart appliances, ads, and shrinking consumer choice

  • Strong backlash against “smart” fridges and TVs that display ads, especially on fully paid devices.
  • Some argue “just don’t buy a smart fridge,” but others point out that for TVs, cars, and soon fridges, non‑smart/non‑ad options are already rare or more expensive, and often controlled by landlords in rentals.
  • Concerns extend to gas pumps, billboards, cars, and other everyday infrastructure becoming ad platforms and data collectors.

Mental health, psychosis, and tech environments

  • Many see ad-saturated, personalized tech as plausibly triggering or worsening psychosis, paranoia, PTSD and anxiety.
  • Several recount experiences where targeted or contextually creepy ads (e.g., accident-related, medical, or horror imagery) were distressing even without schizophrenia.
  • Some wonder whether disability law (ADA / UK equality law) could be used to challenge such designs, but applicability is seen as unclear.

Is the fridge-schizophrenia story real?

  • A substantial subthread argues the Reddit story is likely fabricated “creative writing,” pointing to:
    • An earlier fridge-ad post where commenters predicted exactly this scenario.
    • Samsung’s statement that full-screen ads don’t appear on the home screen that way.
  • Others counter that even if this particular case is fake, the scenario is realistic and consistent with known psychotic symptoms.

Advertising as structural harm

  • Strong anti-ad sentiment: calls to ban all or most advertising, especially invasive and personalized types, and to treat attention as something that shouldn’t be commoditized.
  • Counterarguments stress free speech, small-business discovery, ad‑funded services, and user choice (e.g., cheaper “with ads” options).
  • Middle-ground proposals include: banning ads on essential appliances, banning targeted tracking, allowing only contextual/catalog-style ads, or taxing ads heavily.

Responsibility of engineers and regulators

  • Some call for professional licensing, ethics, and liability for software engineers, analogizing to medicine or electrical work.
  • Others think this is unrealistic and emphasize consumer education and “voting with wallets,” though critics note many consumers lack real alternatives.

Practical user defenses

  • Suggested workarounds include: buying “dumb” fridges/TVs where possible, using hotel/business displays, external streaming boxes, router-level internet blocking for appliances, or physically covering/breaking screens.
  • Many see the need for such hacks as evidence that both markets and regulation are failing.