The Instant Ice Maker Scam on Instagram
Let's face it that technology is a wonderful thing but it can be misused. Right now, after I have ran into this curiousity calle dthe instant portable ice maker. The scam video that caught my attention was the "miracle ice maker". The video was blatantly artificial intelligence.
We have people who are chopping blocks of ice, they're stopped, and then this "miracle box" comes to the rescue. The solution was to pour water into it, press the button, and then, presto, instant ice! The ads may have ignored that huge blocks of ice aren't the standard for home ice usage. Huge blocks of ice aren't even meant to be consumed as they aren't made from drinking water. Instead, huge blocks of ice are used for commercial purposes like keeping seafood fresh without spoiling for a certain period of time, giving it enough low temperature that it arrives to where it needs to arrive, fresh and not frozen.
However, we need to look at simple science where you don't need a degree in thermodynamics and the like
Sure, I don't have a degree in physics, electrical engineering, or any of those courses that I'm not suited for. However, the idea of a portable instant ice maker is stupid. I decided to Google on how to make ice without electricity. Plus, the engines may be too small to even produce a single block of ice. How can I expect such machines to make ready ice?
Here's some interesting trivia from Reddy Ice on how ice was produced before freezers:
Early Techniques: how ancient humans froze or made ice
Food preservation finds its roots way back around 1000 BC when the Chinese civilization figured out a way to cut ice that was formed on top of the cold streams or snow into blocks and use it as a means of preserving food.
Around 500 BC, the Egyptian and Indian cultures had discovered rapid evaporation as a means to cool water placed in clay pots, on straw beds. Evaporation, combined with the decrease in night temperatures, froze the water.
By 400 BC, the Persian society had become proficient in the art of storing ice during peak summer in an underground area of the desert. Their engineers developed an evaporative cooler structure called Yakhchāl (Persian for “ice pit”), which was a dome-shaped building up to two stories tall, with an equal amount of space underground. The underground area kept ice, as well as any other food, cool through the use of air flow. Its wall was made out of a special mortar called Sārooj – composed of sand, clay, egg whites, lime, goat hair, and ash in specific proportions – which was resistant to heat transfer and completely water resistant.
As far back as the 5th century BC, the ancient Greeks were known to refresh themselves with snow, flavored with honey or nectar. Alexander the Great built the first Greek icehouse and often enjoyed eating frozen milk with honey accompanied by various fruits and wine. Their neighbors, the Romans, also had ice and snow mixed with their juices and wines to cool themselves. Legend has it that Emperor Nero usually had snow transported by runners from the mountains to Rome for these purposes.
What would be more important is this note from Panasonic's website:
How long does it take to make ice?
? Time required to make ice
If the refrigerator is cold enough, it will take about 3 hours to make ice.
It may vary depending on usage conditions such as the ambient temperature, compartment temperature setting, and door opening/closing.
The outrage mechanism of the "instant ice maker"
I don't think the makers of these instant "ice machines" are stupid or ignoring basic truths. As said, anybody with a freezer can make the ice suitable. Now, the more I think about it, there's one truth that many people may have forgotten. That truth is outrage sells more. Exaggeratin sells more. Now, from the Therapy Group of DC, the outrage model works like this:
Why Anger Pays: The Profit Pipeline
Let’s talk about why anger is such a hot commodity on social media. It’s not just about the obvious emotional reactions—there’s a whole profit engine running behind the scenes.
- High-Arousal Equals Longer Sessions: When you’re fired up, you’re likely to spend more time scrolling. This extended screen time translates to more ad impressions, which is exactly what platforms are banking on.
- Algorithmic Amplification: Ever notice how angry posts seem to pop up everywhere? That’s because your engagement—likes, comments, shares—tells the algorithm to spread it far and wide, making these emotions feel like the norm.
- Cheap and Viral by Nature: Rage bait content doesn’t require much effort to create. It skips the fact-checking and dives straight into emotional hooks, which travel faster than well-researched pieces.
- Creator Incentives: Outrage isn’t just a tool for platforms; it’s also a moneymaker for content creators. From selling merchandise to garnering political donations, anger can be a lucrative business.
Understanding these points can help us see through the rage baiting tactics and make more informed decisions about how we engage online. By recognizing the mechanics of this profit pipeline, we can choose to interact more thoughtfully and protect our mental well-being.
It's pretty much like the fake game ads, that even go as far as to say, "We have no ads, it's free, you can earn!" Baloney! The outrage mixd with too good to be true, well as said, avoid these. Report them, block them, expose them for the fraud they are!
