People feared easily available printed books, anticipating loss of control over ideas, and potential social, moral, or religious disruption, thus undermining established authority and traditional values.

Europe: The 16th-century Roman Catholic Church feared print. It allowed Protestant reformers like Martin Luther to disseminate challenging ideas widely, causing religious schism. The Church believed common interpretation of scripture would breed heresy, leading to strict censorship and the creation of the Index of Prohibited Books.

India: 19th-century conservative Hindus and Muslims feared print's influence on women. They believed literacy and novels would "corrupt" women, making them disobedient, immoral, or neglectful of duties. This fear stemmed from print exposing women to external ideas, threatening to disrupt the established patriarchal social order and family traditions.