A woman found a screen attached to every sink in her Planet Fitness bathroom, and they’re there to show members ads while they wash their hands

Tablets inside the bathroom? What if it gets wet? One Planet Fitness location appears to have added tablets to its sinks, leaving at least one gym-goer baffled. TikTok user Kay (@recklessgoodness) captured a row of sinks at the gym, each with a large screen attached to the faucet. “Planet Fitness what are you doing?” she asks in the video’s overlay text.

Apparently, these devices display advertisements while you wash your hands. According to VODXS, the company that manufactures them, the faucets “turn an everyday interaction into a focused brand moment with an integrated HD display.” In practical terms, this means companies can show you ads while you use the sink. Naturally, the company behind the screens says they’re not only for ads. VODXS shares that “brand campaigns, venue promotions, public information, QR code calls to action, and remotely updated content” can all be shown on the screens.

Another business, Sinkside Billboards, advertises that it too has a partnership with Planet Fitness. Some question whether these screens have cameras. This does not appear to be the case. Neither VODXS nor Sinkside Billboards advertises that their screens contain audio, video, or photo recording capabilities.

Is everything overly-optimized?

Nonetheless, gym-goers and netizens are not fans of having screens in the washroom. “Why do I need an iPad to wash my hands?” one user asked. “Okay, this has genuinely gone way too far,” added another.

On Reddit, Planet Fitness members regularly criticize the screens, calling them “dystopian” and comparing their presence to an episode of Black Mirror. Others point out that while the gym invests in bathroom screens, it neglects other essential amenities. “It’s ironic. My gym has a broken hydro massage bed, but they’re advertising BLACK CARD memberships on the high-tech ad machine attached to a faucet,” wrote one user. “Mind blown.” Another added, “Meanwhile, at my location, we don’t even have a legit water filling station.”

Sometimes it feels like America has put tablets in nearly every establishment. Stores are replacing real people with self-checkout machines. Cars are trading physical buttons for single touchscreens that control everything. Even in-person interactions with baristas and salesclerks now often involve a tablet or two, and a tip prompt.

It turns out many Americans aren’t thrilled about this tablet takeover. More than half say that modern cars have too much technology. Nearly 40% oppose pre-entered tip prompts on screens, according to NBC News, and about 81% of diners prefer viewing a physical menu and ordering from a human rather than using an iPad, according to the Waterproof Menu. Planet Fitness has yet to address the addition of tablets in bathrooms.

Not everyone appreciates the trend of over-optimizing every establishment. Online discussions on the topic are largely frustrated. Some users report that these sinks at their gyms were short-lived. “My home gym had these for a few months and finally got rid of them recently,” recalled one user. “I really hope they don’t come back.”