Singapore Pays Citizens To Read In Bid To Fight ‘Brain Rot’ And Rebuild Reading Culture

Singapore Pays Citizens to Read in Bid to Fight ‘Brain Rot’ and Rebuild Reading Culture Singapore has launched an unusual five-year national campaign designed to encourage its citizens to rediscover reading, with the government offering small financial rewards to people who regularly log their reading time. The initiative, known as ReadSG, aims to make reading a daily habit at a time when social media, short-form videos and endless online scrolling are increasingly competing for people’s attention. Launched on September 6 by Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB), the campaign encourages participants to begin with just 15 minutes of reading a day Under the ReadSG Challenge, participants can record their daily reading sessions through the government-backed CrowdTask SG platform.Readers earn experience points and virtual coins for completing reading sessions, turning the activity into a gamified challenge. A reading session must last at least 15 minutes, with only one session eligible to be logged each day. Participants can eventually exchange accumulated virtual coins for small cash rewards. According to CNN, readers need to complete 50 days of qualifying reading sessions to earn SG$1 (about US$0.80).The financial incentive is deliberately modest, with officials hoping the reward system will encourage people to establish a habit rather than treat reading simply as a way to make money. The campaign comes amid growing concerns over declining attention spans and the amount of time people spend consuming short-form digital content. Singapore’s National Library Board argues that while short-form content can help people consume information quickly, sustained reading can strengthen attention, critical thinking, imagination and empathy. NLB chief executive Melissa Tam said the goal is to build a nation of readers who are curious, thoughtful and better equipped to navigate an increasingly complex world. Reading researcher Loh Chin Ee, from Singapore’s National Institute of Education, said the 15-minute target was deliberately designed to make the habit accessible. She said many people still read words on screens, but deep reading spending sustained time with a book and engaging with it fully may be happening less frequently. The campaign is built around the idea that people do not necessarily need large amounts of free time to read. The official ReadSG programme points to everyday opportunities such as reading between MRT stops, while waiting for a bus or enjoying a morning coffee. The campaign’s slogan is effectively simple: start with 15 minutes and allow small, consistent efforts to develop into a lasting habit. Despite concerns about declining reading habits, Singapore continues to perform strongly in international reading assessments. However, officials and educators remain concerned that young people may gradually lose interest in reading for pleasure as academic pressure increases. Some Singaporeans have also reported rediscovering books after years away from recreational reading. Isaac Neo, a risk analyst who co-founded the Modern Men’s Book Club in 2025, said some members joined because they wanted to return to reading after abandoning the habit for years. The government’s approach has generated debate over whether financial rewards can create a lasting reading culture. Supporters argue that any initiative capable of getting people to put down their phones and pick up books is worthwhile. Critics, however, question whether people will continue reading once the financial incentives disappear. Psychologist Charissa Ng warned that monetary rewards may work better for people who already have some interest in reading than for those with little intrinsic motivation. Other reading advocates believe the small incentive can simply serve as the initial push needed to establish a habit ReadSG is not focused solely on individual rewards.Participants’ reading time can also contribute to Read for Good, an NLB charity initiative supporting communities through reading and learning resources. The programme is targeting 7.5 million reading minutes in 2026, with the potential to raise up to SG$150,000 for organisations supporting less privileged communities. The initiative will also feature reading spaces, book giveaways, community activities and programmes designed to make reading a more visible part of everyday life. Singapore’s experiment reflects a broader concern about how technology is changing the way people consume information.Rather than attempting to eliminate digital entertainment, ReadSG is using gamification, rewards and public participation to encourage people to make space for longer and deeper reading. Whether a small cash reward can compete with the constant pull of social media and algorithm-driven content remains uncertain.But Singapore’s message is clear: even 15 minutes with a book each day could be enough to begin rebuilding a habit that many people fear is disappearing.