\u201cMy schizophrenic sister hospitalized herself because she thought she was having a psychotic episode,\u201d the sibling titled the post. \u201cTurns out it was an advert on the LED screen.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/115407422.jpg\")
Rhea Seehorn as Carol in \u201cPluribus.\u201d Anna Kooris<\/p>\n
The victim, who is reportedly diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been hospitalized for previous episodes, had reportedly called the Reddit user to report that \u201csomeone was trying to communicate with her\u201d through her Samsung Family Hub smart fridge. The patient then drove herself to the emergency room, where she spent two days under monitoring and had her medications adjusted.<\/p>\n
The Post reached out to Samsung for comment.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until the patient returned home several days ago that the Redditor learned exactly what had transpired. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was scrolling on Facebook today, I saw an advert on a smart fridge which stated the words, \u2018WE\u2019RE SORRY WE UPSET YOU, CAROL,’\u201d the poster recalled. \u201cIt was set against a creepy yellow background and was very ominous. Upon closer inspection, it was an advert for some TV show.\u201d<\/p>\n
The series in question is Apple TV\u2019s\u00a0\u201cPluribus,\u201d Vince Gilligan\u2019s dystopian thriller revolving around an author named Carol, played by Rhea Seehorn.<\/p>\n
The Redditor reportedly sent a screenshot to her sister, also named Carol, who confirmed that said commercial had sparked her psychotic episode.<\/p>\n
The ordeal reportedly made the Redditor\u2019s blood run cold. \u201cIs this even legal in the UK?\u201d she spluttered. \u201cRunning creepy adverts like that on a smart fridge with absolutely no way of knowing who could\u2019ve seen them?\u201d<\/p>\n
She then pleaded with the Reddit community for \u201cadvice\u201d on behalf of her sister, who is incapable of \u201corganizing most of her own affairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/fridge-turns-advert-led-screen-117036944.jpg\")
The \u201cPluribus\u201d advertisement in question. Reddit\/Shellnanigans<\/p>\n
Commenters heeded her call. \u201cIt\u2019s just horrible for your sister. I\u2019m sorry,\u201d one user responded. \u201cYou could try complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).\u201d<\/p>\n
They added, \u201cIt really sounds like, given your sister\u2019s condition, it might be best to disable the smart features on her fridge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a crap situation and an unbelievably unfortunate coincidence, but I\u2019d be very surprised if there\u2019s anything illegal going on here,\u201d said another sympathizer. \u201cAt the end of the day, the major issue here is that your sister has schizophrenia and the advert was unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
They added, \u201cIf she\u2019s this fragile, then whoever is responsible for her care needs to ensure that she isn\u2019t being exposed to potentially frightening or triggering media, and that means understanding what is in her home.\u201d<\/p>\n
A third wrote, \u201cYes. It\u2019s legal. But your poor sister, I can only imagine how scary it was for her \ud83d\ude41 As someone with a family member who suffers the same, get her a basic fridge with no screens or internet on.\u201d<\/p>\n
X.com users also sympathized with the woman\u2019s plight, with one writing<\/a>, \u201cTbf [to be fair], if my fridge addressed me by name and I didn\u2019t have any other context, I would also think I was having a psychotic episode.\u201d<\/p>\n