What the panic over Gen Z’s reading habits gets wrong
Despite dire warnings of a ‘postliterate’ generation, data suggests Gen Z is still reading – just in ways many traditional studies fail to capture.
Recent reports alarmingly claim a decline in recreational reading among Gen Z, attributing it to factors such as COVID-19, artificial intelligence, and social media. However, experts argue that many of these claims about Gen Z's reading behaviors are misguided. Recent studies, conducted by the authors of "How Gen Z Discover and Consume Books," reveal that Gen Z is identifying as readers at an increasing rate, with 66% of Gen Z identifying as readers, up from 52% in 2022.
In the past 12 months, 65% of Gen Z read at least one print book, up from 59% in 2022. This data is consistent with findings from the Pew Research Center across all age groups. Gen Zers, who have grown up with internet access, often engage in "multimodally" reading – reading print, e-books, and audiobooks simultaneously. Physical books hold a unique appeal for Gen Z due to a "digital detox" sentiment, as they don't track or ping users.
They also enjoy the aesthetic appeal of printed books, their gift-giving potential, and the distinctiveness of used books. Despite claims of a decline, Gen Zers are visiting bookstores and libraries more frequently than in 2022, with 36% finding books through librarians in 2025. Additionally, Gen Zers who don't visit libraries have higher loneliness scores, suggesting libraries play a crucial role in their social lives.
Furthermore, postdigital reading practices, such as fan fiction, BookTok, and online reviews, are increasingly popular among Gen Z. These activities are often overlooked in traditional reading surveys, which primarily focus on traditional reading formats.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
