Cover Osteuropa 1-2/2019

In Osteuropa 1-2/2019

Dual use
Reading in social networks in digitalised Russia

Birgitte Beck Pristed


Deutsche Fassung

Abstract

Social reading networks also exist in Russia. The degree of fluctuation in these knizhnye sozial’nye seti is high. BookMix.ru and LiveLib.ru have become established online groups, and offer readers space for interactive discussion about a book. Users comment, give reviews and recommend reading material. At the same time, they provide publishing houses with useful information for targeted marketing. The publishing sector has discovered the commercial benefits of such groups and helps fund them. The users of the social reading platforms are mainly between 20 and 40 years old. Their reading requirements are not being met by either the bookshops or the libraries.

(Osteuropa 1-2/2019, pp. 139–147)