The Internet, along with television, is often cited as a medium that has kicked the reading habit, especially among young people by keeping them glued to a computer or television screen, when they should be reading a book. While it is true that reading as a habit has been on the decline in recent years, it may not be correct to attribute this to the Internet alone. It would be more realistic to consider a number of reasons such as time pressure due to a fast-paced lifestyle, changing priorities, etc., which have had a negative impact on the reading habit. Once again, it would be unfair to put the Internet on the same platform as television, since the latter is primarily a medium for fun and entertainment, while the Internet is a rich source of information and knowledge. Based on available research data on reading patterns, the Internet could be credited with keeping the reading habit alive and improving reading volumes among young people in the midst of fast-paced life.
The internet has simply changed the pattern of reading from a book to online reading. Today it is possible to collect a lot of information on the Internet in a short space of time with the help of powerful search engines, an effort that would have taken months and several visits to the library to achieve. Search engines gather news which they collect from various sources and provide the browser with critical information and insights at the click of a mouse. An evidence of the popularity of the Internet can be measured by the boost that online newspapers gave to the circulation of fallen newspapers around the world. In a fast-paced world, readers found it more convenient to read the news on their laptops while waiting at the airport or in a hotel lobby than in the comfort of their armchairs.
In the current scenario, we can safely assume that if someone wasn’t reading the computer screen, they most likely weren’t reading at all. Taking these concrete facts into account, we can conclude that, contrary to criticism, the Internet has helped improve the reading habit in a fast-paced world through its convenience and speed.