According to studies cited by the Financial Times, the decline in birth rates is not just because people want fewer children. One of the main problems is that younger generations, in particular, are finding it increasingly difficult to establish long-term and stable relationships.
Smartphones have changed the way of relationships
Researchers argue that smartphone use changes the fundamental structure of human relationships. In particular, the widespread use of 4G technology is seen as a critical threshold in this transformation.
According to experts, the trend started in 2007 in countries such as the USA and the UK, and then spread to countries such as Mexico and Indonesia. This process coincided with the rapid increase in the use of personal mobile devices and social media.
Face-to-face socializing is decreasing
According to a University of Cincinnati study, digital connectivity has significantly reduced the amount of time young people spend face-to-face socializing. Researchers state that as physical social contact decreases, it becomes more difficult to establish lasting emotional bonds and move towards long-term relationships.
According to experts, the digital environment can increase loneliness, anxiety and tensions in male-female relationships. Unlike previous technologies, smartphones create a much more addictive usage cycle and can replace traditional social activities.
It is stated that this change is especially evident in groups without a university education. It is stated that the rates of becoming a couple, establishing a home and forming a family in these areas have fallen more sharply in recent years.
Why might economic supports not be enough?
Declining birth rates are a serious concern for economic and social systems in many countries. Population aging increases pressure on pension systems and poses new risks to future economic growth.
However, according to experts, the problem may not be solved only with money, housing or children. Because if people are forming fewer and fewer permanent relationships, economic incentives to increase birth rates may have limited impact.
For this reason, some researchers argue that low birth rates should no longer be considered only as a demographic or economic issue, but also as a problem of loneliness and social disconnection created by the digital age.
New title: Digital loneliness
The picture revealed by the research points to a deeper change facing modern societies. Even though young people are constantly online, they meet less face to face, form fewer permanent relationships, and step into family life later or not at all.
According to experts, to reverse this trend, not only financial incentives but also digital habits and social living spaces need to be rethought.
