▲ Smartphone
A study by economists in the United States has drawn attention by suggesting that the widespread adoption of smartphones is a contributing factor to the decline in birth rates.
The researchers argue that the extensive use of smartphones in daily life has weakened face-to-face human interaction, which in turn has led to a decrease in the frequency of sexual activity among those of childbearing age.
According to a CNN report on June 12 (local time), a research team from Middlebury College and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) identified 2007 as a critical turning point for U.S. birth rates in their recently published NBER report.
The end of 2007, which marked the beginning of the global financial crisis, was also just a few months after Apple launched the first iPhone in the United States.
The U.S. birth rate has fallen by approximately 22% since 2007.
The researchers noted that this downward trend is not easily explained by factors such as economic conditions, the use of contraceptives, or housing and childcare costs, leading them to evaluate the potential impact of the spread of smartphone usage.
During the initial period of 2007–2011, the iPhone was available in the U.S. exclusively through the AT&T network.
Consequently, the research team compared birth rate trends in regions where AT&T’s mobile broadband network was rapidly deployed against those where it was implemented later.
The results showed that regions where more than 90% of the population had early access to the iPhone experienced a more significant decline in birth rates compared to regions where network coverage was less than 10%.
This disparity was most pronounced among those in their teens and twenties.
The birth rate for those aged 15–19 fell by 26% in regions with high smartphone penetration, while it only dropped by 14% in regions with lower penetration.
For those in their twenties, birth rates declined by 15% and 10% in high and low penetration regions, respectively.
The birth rate for those in their thirties also saw a slight decline in high-penetration regions, whereas it actually increased in regions with lower penetration.
In summary, the researchers estimated that the initial adoption of smartphones accounts for 33–52% of the decline in the U.S. general fertility rate between 2007 and 2011.
The research team focused on the possibility that smartphones have acted as a substitute for physical contact and face-to-face human interaction.
According to national survey data cited in the study, the iPhone has indeed been linked to reduced face-to-face interaction, increased consumption of online pornography, and a decrease in the frequency of sexual activity.
However, the researchers clarified that smartphones are not the sole cause of the decline in U.S. birth rates, but rather one of several significant factors.
Caitlin Myers, an economist and the lead author of the report, stated, "I think this research is policy-relevant because I worry that we are not properly understanding why birth rates are falling and are looking in the wrong places."
Regarding policies to encourage childbirth, she emphasized, "Nobody thinks the government is going to confiscate our smartphones," but added that "the answer may lie in how policymakers can promote human face-to-face interaction in the future."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.