When books read their readers
Last week, you all patiently read while I waxed verbose about my stories (you know, like a chatty candle); this week, I’ll take a step back and allow current events to take center stage. As much as I hate to draw your attention away to the world beyond our humble blogger, the book business is as vast as it is ever-changing. Here at Timestage Embassy, I believe it is our imperative as book lovers to stay informed and involved in the ongoing discussion. Constant vigilance!
This article popped up recently in the Wall Street Journal. Apparently, developers of ereaders are using the data-tracking functions of these devices to collect an enormous amount of information on consumers’ reading habits. This goes far beyond the mere demographics of who buys what books; we’re talking about the speed at which we read certain books, how long we read before taking a break, passages we particularly like, etc.
It’s not exactly Big Brother, and it’s no HAL9000, but it’s worth being aware of. One thing we can still say about print books: they don’t snoop. (image credit: William Duke, WSJ)
Before you leap to conclusions, I’d like to state that I do not own an ereader, as I prefer reading print books. However, I am not an opponent of ebooks or their developing role in the book business. Here’s a basic sample of ereader data that’s being collected and shared:
Barnes & Noble has determined, through analyzing Nook data, that nonfiction books tend to be read in fits and starts, while novels are generally read straight through, and that nonfiction books, particularly long ones, tend to get dropped earlier. Science-fiction, romance and crime-fiction fans often read more books more quickly than readers of literary fiction do, and finish most of the books they start. Readers of literary fiction quit books more often and tend skip around between books (Alexandra Alter, WSJ).
On one hand, this aggregated data has the potential to massively enhance the ability of publishers to give the readers what they want. Since analysts can pinpoint areas in books where readers tend to lose interest, editors can now target problems in future books that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. Ebook data analytics could act as a perpetual consumer feedback system, visibly approving and rebuking in a way that can be effectively responded to. In a time where television and gaming loom large against the book industry, this could be just the edge publishers need.
On the other hand, what a person reads has traditionally been honored as no one else’s beeswax. Some worry that this kind of data collection represents an invasion of privacy already rampant throughout media and the internet. The fact that ebook consumers have no choice over whether they are monitored or not also leaves a poor taste. The uncomfortable notion of having their habits watched could scare consumers away from purchasing books on sex, illness, counterculture, and sensitive issues. Lastly, from an artistic standpoint, too much market knowledge in publisher hands could further strain the liberties of writers. But alas, I’ve rambled too much.
What’s your take on this issue? How comfortable are you with data being collected on your reading habits? How might data aggregation have a different or similar impact on book consumers than it has in other industries? Would anyone like to weigh in on the economic benefits or ethical implications of this issue?
Hmm, that’s an interesting bit of information that I wasn’t aware of. Not that I’m surprised mind you…considering the vast amount of information that is tracked by anything with an internet signal. Chalk that up as one more reason that I will never own an ereader. My internet book-collections (shelfari, goodreads) already provide plenty of information on my reading and book-buying habits to the world, knowing how long it takes me to finish a book and where I stop is not information that publishers (or anyone) really need to know…ever.
It also seems to me that that kind of information could be a little misleading. Say I stop reading a book halfway through, maybe an emergency cropped up in my family, or my reader was stolen, or any other number of perfectly good reasons that I might put down a book. Though I suppose their shmancy algorithms would correct for outliers like that.
Ah well, I like print books, end of story.
True that, Jess! Data drawn from an individual and taken out of context actually reveals very little genuine insight. That said, retailers and publishers are examining trends that appear in large amounts of data collected from an enormous sample, which yield much more reliable conclusions about how people are interacting with books, though the actual reasons behind those trends are still up for interpretation. For some, the very possibility of ereaders being used to spy on individuals is more of a problem than the actual usefulness of the data being collected. Which leads to the question: why exactly is that privacy breach such a problem? (I pose this merely as a discussion question…)
As a life-long speculative fiction reader, my mind always goes to the potential ultimate societal ramifications of new technology through their use or misuse. I can’t help but speculate that no good can come from this gathering of information. It will encourage the publishing of popcorn literature that can be easily & quickly devoured–and discourage the opposite. Thus we will be inadvertently contributing to our own dumbing down. It will assist target marketing so readers will just get “more of the same,” thus reinforcing their world view rather than challenging them to new ideas and points of view–thus encouraging a more narrow-minded society.
What I read is nobody’s beeswax, unless I choose to share it with them. I once asked a someone who works for a US intelligence agency what new technologies they are developing to spy on American citizens. He said that they aren’t. They don’t have to. The public sector is doing all of their work for them.
At risk of stepping into slippery slope territory, I wholeheartedly agree that potential long-term market repercussions are crucial to this discussion. You’re approaching this not just as someone inclined to distrust the seeds of dystopia, but also as someone with potent market awareness. Indeed, the fact that there is such greater diversification in books than in most other forms of mass media stems directly from books’ inherent anonymity and very personal ethos. If any development looks like it could diminish or homogenize that quality, we are obliged to question it. The book industry has also historically been a champion for worldwide literacy and social awareness. Bearing that in mind, how do you respond to Connor’s point regarding the value of popcorn literature as a gateway drug to more challenging forms of reading and learning?
This is fascinating. I am curious how this will shape the industry or if there will be a reaction to it. I’d be curious to see if this sparks new subcultures of people who purposely don’t read off ereaders for the sake of privacy.
Myself I enjoy my Kindle and my dead tree books. Each are good in their own way, print books because it’s physically there beyond data in a computer like device and the Kindle because it can hold so many books in one place (I tend to read many books at once).
Excellent post!
Perhaps. At the very least, it will give ebook opponents something to complain about other than the massively overused “I like to feel/smell the pages!” sentiment. While I personally dislike (okay, vehemently despise) Amazon and the proprietary restriction strategy it foists through the Kindle, I’m glad that you’ve had a positive ebook experience so far! I’m curious about how you as an ereader user have experienced this particular issue. How do you see this affecting how you shop for ebooks?
wow, i was just thinking about writing a post about e-readers and as a result, i’ll be writing an extremely long comment – bare with me:)
while i was unaware of data-collecting tendencies, i cannot say that it surprises me. my opinions on whether or not it is “ethical” are still up in the air, but frankly i could care less what people think of my reading habits. if anything, i think there could be some positives for people who use e-readers (i would be one of those people). first and foremost of which would be an quicker search process.
most avid readers have a reading list a mile long, but i am always looking for more titles to add to said list. for people like me – who tend to go through spurts in terms of subject matter – it is always nice to see the “recommended” titles. more often than not i’m pleasantly surprised at how accurate they’re able to pin down my taste in books.
since i feel like we are far from a fahrenheit 451 society, i have a hard time seeing how someone could use the kind of data e-reader makers are collecting in a malicious manner. the other thing i could think of off the top of my head would be advertising – which is exactly what happens every time you enter a keyword into google or log onto facebook.
and one last thing – i never really try and refute the content of other comments, as they are personal opinion, but i do have a question for paul:
the reality of modern literature is the fact that it is “popcorn literature.” every generation before ours has had this type of literature, the growing rate of literacy across the country and the globe simply makes this form more prominent. the beautiful thing about literary classics is that they will always have a place at the table, no matter what else is circulating or has circulated. that is why they are considered classics.
as an english major focusing in literary studies i cannot emphasis enough the importance of easily accessible “popcorn literature” because it is this type of reading material that allows the literacy rate to stay on the rise and keep local bookstores in business (the general public doesn’t go out and buy hemingway for a rainy day).
please feel free to respond! i love this particular discussion topic!
Hooray, it’s officially a two-sided discussion! Connor, you make a very compelling argument. It’s certainly a fact that many people reasonably interpret this privacy breach as a “no harm, no foul” situation. And yes, product recommendation is definitely an effective resource. Of course, I’m coming at this from the perspective of a bookseller, and nobody enjoys hearing about a machine that can do his job for him. If I may be so bold, it seems like Paul was not arguing against popcorn literature itself, but rather the possibility of ereader surveillance driving an unhealthy shift in the book industry, one that tips the balance towards content that is more uniform and more swiftly consumable. As a reader and writer, what’s your take on that interpretation?
As a reader/writer I like to think that the strive for originality and creativity is an innate quality. Obviously there are writers out there are simply in it for the money – but I don’t think that there is necessarily anything wrong with that. You get those people in any creative or professional industry.
Luckily I feel like the true creatives outnumber the money-makers by a great deal so I worry fairly little about an unhealthy shift in the book industry. If anything I think you could argue much the opposite. Writers who have a specific audience target will have an easier time reaching those readers with this data.
The one concession I will make is that for booksellers it presents a rather unique problem with no easy solution. However, as time/technology progresses I think there will be ways for bookstores to adapt as well.
If public libraries have adapted (most major public libraries now offer e-book rentals) then the booksellers will be able to as well. It just might take a little more time and a little more thinking outside of the box.
I’m SERIOUSLY against giving out my personal information without having the option to “opt out”.
I’m of the (probably old fashioned) view that if I wouldn’t feel comfortable giving this information to a stranger on the street, then why should I feel comfortable in giving it to some stranger electronically? (AND in this case , unwillingly!) Answer for me is: in both cases I wouldn’t.
Sure, it’s marketed as being “great for readers”etc but too many people can hold too much information on the part of my family life that I consider private and personal … if this is going on with e-readers I won’t be getting one any time soon.
I like your point, kiwidutch, because rather than making a sweeping claim about the issue at large, you’re giving your own personal reaction based on your own personal logic. Of course, it’s difficult to say how data on people’s reading habits could be used maliciously. But if that data collection makes you uncomfortable, it is your right as a consumer to not buy into such a system.
Honestly, I agree with Connor on this discussion. I think that a lot of people tend to wax nostalgic and slip into “nowadays” type thinking, but this simply isn’t helpful. The world is changing, and for every better trap we build a better mouse. If e-readers are keeping tabs on the reading habits of their customers, then there are a few things that I’d like to know before I make a judgement one way or another:
1> Whether or not the information collected is anonymous. If so, there is really little to worry about, just as most people see no cause to fret over traffic light data or satellite imaging (both of which CAN be used to target individuals if need be, but generally aren’t). If not, many of the same rules apply, plus the fact that if any institution is legally abusing this data, including by not giving full disclosure to their customers (as a few companies have gotten in trouble for in the past), then there will be both legal and public outcry to call them on it. As much as I find the hegemonic capitalism of the United States appalling at times, living in a developing nation for some time HAS made me realize that US consumers have rights that few others in the world possess.
2> How are the reads tracked? That is, do e-readers like the Nook only track books downloaded from their own site, or all the e-books on your reader? My guess is the latter, but I will stand corrected if anyone knows otherwise. However, IF the former is true, then the fact remains that ebooks can be gotten from other sources if this makes you genuinely uncomfortable. Project Gutenburg, libraries, or Brendan’s bookstore are great examples. Most .pdf files can be downloaded onto e-readers as well. If your e-reader doesn’t support a particular type of file, then free software such as Calibre can help convert it for you. And finally, there is always the thriving pir@te industry (sorry Brendan), which lets you download just about anything if you’re willing to go there. Me, I prefer to pay for things if I can, but the fact remains that these resources do exist.
3> How is this different from what sites like Google, Facebook, and Amazon already do? If you are okay with Amazon suggesting titles for you, then why are you worried about the company that sold you your e-reader gathering mass data on what genres and reading speeds are popular? “Popcorn literature” is a big market, but it won’t supersede and destroy a market for literary fiction or the classics, just as short, funny series like “Adventure Time” don’t cause people to devalue Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary. It’s the same medium, but two totally different balls of wax.
At the end of the day, I think it is good to be aware of these things, but it is good to be fair, too. Digital media and “popcorn literature” (I love that term) have contributed vastly to worldwide education and literacy, as Connor I believe mentioned earlier. But they won’t ever replace analog media, just like the film didn’t replace the stage play. Digital media is a different world, and one we’re still learning how to understand and cope with.