There has been a considerable rise in electronic books in the contemporary world that has led to a drastic drop in the physical ones. This has opened a dialogue about the positive or negative impact of the development. While online reading materials can have negative consequences, such as increased screen time, I believe that it has more merits because it encourages a reading culture by reducing time and resources wasted going to physical libraries.
On the one hand, reading online can be disadvantageous to a person due to the increased hours spent on different gadgets. Although people take measures to protect themselves, exposing their eyes to the constant light of these devices would inevitably lead to eye complications down the line. Individuals would have to put up with wearing spectacles or contact lenses due to the damage dealt to their eyes. For instance, studies have shown that most people who have a lot of screen time, either at home or school, are more likely to damage their eyes; hence, proving the harmful effects of this activity.
However, accessing these products online minimizes the money and time spent going to the physical library to get the materials. Before the advent of online platforms, staunch readers had to commute to the physical libraries to access these books, which not only wasted their valuable time, but also incurred additional transportation costs. The aforementioned expenses are compounded by the already extortionate price of purchasing the book. For example, Amazon allows a person to immediately start reading the novels purchased on their website; therefore, portraying the convenience e-books by reducing traveling time.
In conclusion, while there are downsides to online books, such as vision damage, I maintain that it has a bigger upside by ensuring that book enthusiasts can access them instantly and at lower prices.