Singapore Authorities Have Started Paying Citizens To Read Books
- 16.09.2026, 19:55
The government wants to reduce the influence of social media on young people.
Singapore has launched a government program that encourages people to read books every day. In this way, the authorities hope to combat “mindscrolling”—the habit of endlessly and mindlessly scrolling through social media or news feeds. In addition, the program is intended to help improve concentration and develop critical thinking, according to The Guardian.
Participants can log one reading session per day lasting at least 15 minutes. For each session, they earn 20 virtual coins. Once they have accumulated 1,000 coins—which is equivalent to 50 days of reading—they can exchange them for one Singapore dollar, or about 80 U.S. cents.
Melissa Tam , director of the National Library Board , explained that people live in a world with a vast amount of content, information, and diverse stimuli. According to her, habits are formed through small but regular actions, which is why the organizers are starting with a simple goal—to read for 15 minutes a day.
The Singaporean government is increasingly seeking ways to reduce the negative impact of social media on young people. Among the proposals is the introduction of a daily limit on the amount of time that can be spent on social media. This proposal is based on a recent study indicating that the greatest harm to young people comes from compulsively consuming negative news and social media addiction.
At the same time, Singaporean students demonstrate very high reading scores. According to the latest PISA study, 15-year-old students in Singapore ranked first in the world in reading literacy, ahead of China and Taiwan.
Financial incentives to help citizens form new habits are nothing new for Singapore. Previously, authorities offered residents supermarket vouchers for walking, as well as rewards for meeting daily step goals.
In August, the Singaporean government also introduced a financial support package worth more than $55,000 for each child under the age of 17, as well as expanded paid parental leave and housing benefits.
These large-scale measures are a response to the country’s demographic crisis. Singapore’s total fertility rate has fallen to a historic low of 0.87 children per woman. As a result, the country is nearing the transition to the category of “super-aged” societies.