https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/printed-books-vs-e-books-which-is-the-most-popular/ [ ] Search * Agenda * Platforms * Reports * Events * Videos * Language English Language English + English + Espanol + Francais + Zhong Wen + Ri Ben Yu * Sign In We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our updated Cookie Notice. I accept [hamburger-] World Economic Forum Agenda Platforms Reports Events Videos Language English * English * Espanol * Francais * Zhong Wen * Ri Ben Yu Sign-in Search [cancel-13f] [ ] Search * Global Agenda * Book Club * Future of Media, Entertainment and Sport * Behavioural Sciences This survey shows that people prefer printed books - even in the digital age [nrWfIHJoAc]picture of someone reading a book Overall, people still prefer ink and paper when it comes to reading a book. Image: Unsplash/Haidan With the collaboration of Statista 29 Apr 2021 1. Felix Richter Data Journalist, Statista UpLink - Take Action for the SDGs [responsive] Take action on UpLink [further-re] Most Popular [xT3jV9rxDd] Exercise makes you 50% more likely to have higher antibodies after a vaccine Sebastien Chastin * The Conversation 26 Apr 2021 [6PHXVtEUSW] These countries are leading the way on a post-pandemic green recovery Sean Fleming 29 Apr 2021 [lm0MQ4Ho2D] Countries donate medical supplies to help India in COVID-19 crisis Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Rupam Jain, and Sanjeev Miglani * Thomson Reuters Foundation trust.org 27 Apr 2021 More on the agenda [further-re] Forum in focus Global Alliance scales up efforts to create a safe media ecosystem through the World Economic Forum's platform [_pF5RidlIB] Read more about this project [further-re] Explore context [tmap-icon-] Future of Media, Entertainment and Sport [0Z7y1eScpo] Explore the latest strategic trends, research and analysis [further-re] * 45% of people bought a printed book last year, compared to the 23% who bought an e-book. * This suggests that e-books have the potential to complement the publishing industry and function alongside it - rather than replace it. * This chart shows the preference for printed and e-books globally, with e-books being most popular in China. * More than half of Germans bought a printed book in 2020. With smartphones, tablets and e-readers reaching mass adoption over the past few years, many have predicted that printed books would soon become a thing of the past. And while it's true that people use their electronic devices to read, they still rely heavily on ink and paper when it comes to reading books. Have you read? * Do e-books help children learn to read? * 7 'Champions for Nature' tell us their must-read books * From books to bikes: 4 unexpected gender gaps According to data from Statista's Advertising & Media Outlook, e-book penetration still trails that of printed books by a wide margin across the globe. In the United States for example, where e-books are very popular in comparison, 23 percent of the population are estimated to have purchased an e-book last year, compared to 45 percent who bought a printed book. What is the World Economic Forum doing to improve digital intelligence in children? The latest figures show that 56% of 8-12-year-olds across 29 countries are involved in at least one of the world's major cyber-risks: cyberbullying, video-game addiction, online sexual behaviour or meeting with strangers encountered on the web. Using the Forum's platform to accelerate its work globally, # DQEveryChild, an initiative to increase the digital intelligence quotient (DQ) of children aged 8-12, has reduced cyber-risk exposure by 15%. In March 2019, the DQ Global Standards Report 2019 was launched - the first attempt to define a global standard for digital literacy, skills and readiness across the education and technology sectors. [4ja7LMpi2r] The 8 Digital Citizenship Skills every child needs Image: DQ Institute Our System Initiative on Shaping the Future of Media, Information and Entertainment has brought together key stakeholders to ensure better digital intelligence for children worldwide. Find our more about DQ Citizenship in our Impact Story. Show These findings suggest that e-books will not be the final nail in the coffin of printed books but rather a complementary product that should ultimately benefit the publishing industry. People may grab an e-reader when they head to the beach or commute to work, but as far as actual books go, there's nothing like the real thing. [SF6qtCiPc7] Studies show that printed books are still the most popular. Image: Statista Share License and Republishing World Economic Forum Type may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use . Written by Felix Richter, Data Journalist, Statista With the collaboration of Statista. The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum. UpLink - Take Action for the SDGs [responsive] Take action on UpLink [further-re] Explore context [tmap-icon-] Future of Media, Entertainment and Sport [responsive] Explore the latest strategic trends, research and analysis [further-re] Subscribe for updates A weekly update of what's on the Global Agenda [ ] [Subscribe] More on Book Club View all [thin-chevr] [nrWfIHJoAc] This survey shows that people prefer printed books - even in the digital age This chart shows the preference for printed and e-books globally, with e-books being most popular in China. More than half of Germans bought a printed book in 2020. Felix Richter * Statista 29 Apr 2021 [Mq171LKMzB] World Book Day: 10 great reads recommended by our Book Club members Today is UNESCO's World Book and Copyright Day. We asked our Book Club readers what they have most enjoyed reading during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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