Malls in China Have a Unique Way to Deter Smoking

A pair of malls in southern China have come up with a novel way to curb bathroom smoking: Make the stall door see-through if someone lights up inside. Men's restrooms at Shenzhen's Shuibei International Centre and Shuibei Jinzuo Building now use special glass in cubicle doors that stays frosted—until a smoke sensor cuts the power, turning the panel transparent within seconds, reports the South China Morning Post. Signs warn users: "Smoking will make the glass transparent. Do not lose control and end up becoming an online sensation," per the Global Times.

The experiment, launched in August, has drawn wide attention on Chinese social media, where many users applauded what they see as an effective deterrent after years of largely ignored no-smoking slogans and small fines. But the glass doors also raise legal and privacy questions. Attorney Lu Weiguo tells the Yangcheng Evening News that the malls could be liable if a malfunction led to an unjustified exposure of a user's privacy.