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Is this a water fountain or a torture device? Thanks, Sodastream! [1]

['Mark Frauenfelder']

Date: 2024-06-24  

Imagine rushing through Philadelphia Airport, parched and desperate for water, only to find that your only salvation is a water fountain that forces you to watch Sodastream ads in exchange for a sip of water.

Welcome to 2024, where even your hydration comes with a side of corporate greed.

Jenny Allison at The Cool Down reports on this absurd scenario: travelers are now subjected to a Sodastream-branded water fountain that dispenses a measly 8 ounces of water, only to then force them to watch a video ad and an app download prompt. "So each person is there waiting for that bull**** to finish while this machine has replaced the public fountain," one frustrated traveler noted on Reddit. Welcome to 2024, where you need an app for a basic life necessity and universal human right.

Another Reddit user pointed out, "Filling my bottle would take 3 minutes and 3 ads, vs right now a decent fountain can do it in 20-30 seconds."

How many people who have to wait in a long line and then wait again to participate in a forced Skinner Box exercise to quench their thirst will walk away thinking, "I missed my flight. Sodastream is a great company! I'm going to buy one of their machines today."

Previously:

• Ditch your overpriced Sodastream canisters in favor of refillable CO2 tanks

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[1] Url: https://boingboing.net/2024/06/24/is-this-a-water-fountain-or-a-torture-device-thanks-sodastream.html

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