While you read your E-book, you're E-book reads YOU!

E-book technology is changing the way people shop for and read books. The brick and mortar bookstores are starting to go the way of the dinosaur and a new generation is coming that may never know the feel of a book in their hands or what having a library of books in the home is all about.

Now, it seems that isn't the only thing E-books are changing in society; it seems that the E-books are able to collect data on readers and provide that data back to the E-reader company so they can compile a database on their readers.

Your E-Book Is Reading You

It takes the average reader just seven hours to read the final book in Suzanne Collins's "Hunger Games" trilogy on the Kobo e-reader—about 57 pages an hour. Nearly 18,000 Kindle readers have highlighted the same line from the second book in the series: "Because sometimes things happen to people and they're not equipped to deal with them." And on Barnes & Noble's Nook, the first thing that most readers do upon finishing the first "Hunger Games" book is to download the next one.

In the past, publishers and authors had no way of knowing what happens when a reader sits down with a book. Does the reader quit after three pages, or finish it in a single sitting? Do most readers skip over the introduction, or read it closely, underlining passages and scrawling notes in the margins? Now, e-books are providing a glimpse into the story behind the sales figures, revealing not only how many people buy particular books, but how intensely they read them.

For centuries, reading has largely been a solitary and private act, an intimate exchange between the reader and the words on the page. But the rise of digital books has prompted a profound shift in the way we read, transforming the activity into something measurable and quasi-public.

WSJ

Right now, they’re using this info to better predict which books will be successful so they can better cater books toward the market in the hopes of boosting sales and predicting what books to put out in the future. Soon, new books will be put out using the same methods as they use to determine what new TV shows to put on the air which has resulted in all those mindless reality shows that hypnotize the masses so effectively.

This can only lead to the lowering the quality of literature IMO. Now, instead of putting out books which inform the reader, make them think, or inspire them in some way, they will instead find a “formula” for the successful book and will hesitate to put out anything that doesn’t fit that guaranteed moneymaking formula. We can expect our books to be dumbed down as much as our TV.

Not only will this reduce the quality of literature, it has scary Big Brother possibilities as well. Now, the gubment can get stats on what type of books you order, the search terms you use to find them and how you read the book as well, right down to what important parts you choose to highlight or even the notes you choose to keep in the margins.

It used to be that had to physically invade your house to gather such data or stand over your shoulder watching you the whole time but, now the E-book companies are gathering it for them. The alphabet agencies must be drooling at the surveillance possibilities presented by the new technology.

Welcome to the Brave New World!

reply to post by FortAnthem


In Soviet Russia...
Sorry.

People own e-books?

When did this happen?

I like E-books, but it's just not the same as holding the real thing in your hands.
Not to mention the e-versions are horrible versions.
Honestly, who cares if they know what books I read?

Because if there's a revolution, they're going to use your book reading and other info to decide whether or not to put in Halliburton/FEMA camps.

In the past couldn't they also tell what types of books would sell by the number of hard copies sold?

Originally posted by jlatchkey
In the past couldn't they also tell what types of books would sell by the number of hard copies sold?

Yes, but they probably could not correlate it as well with personal buying habits, democgraphics, and potentially even times/dates ect that books are actually read- or..the mysterious....who really sells a book?

Some readers are the ones that REALLY sell the books. What or who makes a book really explode in popularity? How does that get tapped?

Originally posted by jlatchkey
In the past couldn't they also tell what types of books would sell by the number of hard copies sold?

Yes but, now they can tell HOW you read the book; all in one sitting, how many pages an hour, did you finish the book, or stop after a few pages or half way through. They can even tell if you highlighted any passages or wrote notes in the margin.

Now, they'll have much more information on the reading habits of their customers that they can use to decide what books get published and what books don't make it.

I find it disturbing that, from the info they've gathered so far, that non-fiction books aren't always read through to the end or are read in a piecemeal fashion. This could lead to shorter or dumbed down non-fiction books because they perceive that those types of books can't hold a person's attention long enough.

Say goodbye to well researched books loaded with information on a subject because the attention span of the "average" reader has gotten so small.

Soon, they'll be marketing books only to the least common denominator, just like TV.

There's a simple solution people.

Turn off the wifi!!!!!

And get uncopywrited copies of your favorite books. They are around the web.

Type in your book title and .epup format or .mobi format. You should be able to find them for free. Then they won't be on the amazon or Barnes and Noble servers.

Simple. Done and Done.

Next tech conspiracy please!

How do you turn off the wifi?

And what program will read those two formats?

ummmm sorry but I believe there are plenty of us out there who would prefer to read the old fashioned way. Ebooks hurt my eyes and Im sure Im not alone so bookstores will most certainly remain around

E Books are nice.

But nothing can compare to having the actual book. Unless your tottin around something like moby dick or something, then it's useful.

I knew these Kindle things were Evil.

Best reason never to buy one.

Just download the free of version of your favorite book for your PC.. we all do have one.

I'm sure these things can be hacked to keep from sending any data,.

BTW.. How does that work? They behind your back connect to your wifi or a free wifi hotspot? How do they get around wifi security?

reply to post by FortAnthem


the only thing my books would say is i sometimes read in the bathroom.





-subfab

reply to post by FortAnthem


i'm real surprised this thread didn't take off. this is big news to the people who use e-books. the information (that we know of) being transfered may not be everything they are monitoring.

give me an old musty book, a cup of coffee from my kitchen, and some quiet.

-subfab

I understand why all the data mining for the purpose of making a more "sellable" product but too much info only serves to shallow the pool.

It what happened to movies and music and video games. Everything becomes remakes sequels and reboots because wandering even an inch outside the box is too risky and not profitable.

On the plus side what also happened to movies, music and video games is a significant independent movement rose up to deliver unique experiences. The same is happening for e-books as well.

The problem is finding the good indie stuff among the plethora of trash.

I work with media production/training/dissemination/etc... and e-books pose other more significant threats.

Namely when your device is connected to the network that ebook which you have bought and downloaded can be re-written, edited, and have parts redacted. Also many EULA's state that the ebook can just be ripped from your device and there is no guarantee that it will always be available. Same goes for all digital downloads. I know Steam is popular. Imagine of your 200+ games 30, 50 or 70 just disappear.

This method of distribution relies on bandwidth and storage. Both cost money. In time decisions will be made as to what is worth making available and what isnt.

The data mined from these e-readers is a method of determining what gets cut and what doesnt.

I did not know that my Kindle sent out any info at all, except for the purchases and downloads.

So they will know what I'm researching or even what I'm thinking about, if they want to.

Same thing on the internet someday, if not already.

A few terra byte hard drives would be enough memory to keep and encyclopedia sized file on every american, and now they can put mental habits and tastes in their data base. Ultimately they will know what everybody is thinking all of the time.

Then precrime enforcement.

Then hive mind.

Sunday school forever

reply to post by FortAnthem


Whats so bad about a publisher that will only publish books people will like.....

Do you not understand how all this works?

This is one reason I own a NOOK , and not one of the other ereaders.
You can download any ebook from anywhere and sideload it, never having to connect your ereader to any internet service.
No other ereader allows such freedom. lol

Ive had my nook for over 2 years and it has not been connected to the internet in about 2 years and I have over 2,000 books on it, none of them bought through it.

Kindle/amazon , amongst others is awful for this kind of stuff..
So go for a nook, if you do want/get an ereader.

Nook= Freedom
Kindle= Control/Regulations

reply to post by Ahmose


The Nook is the best answer then for an upgrade, thanks. The article said that NOOK is teaming up with Microsoft, of whom it is said, made backdoors in all of their products.

Sneaker net is the only really secure communication method. Even then your computer could keep a record of all files in an invisible cache on a terrabyte drive. Somewhere inside of Windows perhaps.