A big problem is increasing rapidly in many countries around the world. People are having fewer children than before. The situation in many countries has become such that the population is gradually decreasing. Earlier it was believed that the main reasons for this were inflation, job related stress, small living spaces and changing lifestyle. But, now a surprising and new aspect is emerging from new research. Scientists and researchers are trying to find out whether smartphones and social media have also become a major reason for this decline in the birth rate.
Social media is changing life
According to a report by *Financial Times*, the birth rate in more than two-thirds of the world’s countries has fallen below the level that is considered necessary to maintain population stability. Simply put, in many countries people are no longer having enough children for the next generation to replace the existing population. While this problem has existed for a long time in countries like South Korea, Japan, China, Europe and America, the same trend is now being seen rapidly in many countries of Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.
The report shows that the sudden decline in birth rate in the last 10-15 years cannot be due to economic reasons alone. Researchers believe that smartphones and social media have fundamentally changed the way people live. People are now having less face-to-face social interactions than before. It is becoming more difficult to form relationships, and feelings of loneliness are increasing. Ultimately, all of these factors are influencing decisions regarding marriage and child-rearing.
Where internet speed is fast, birth rate is slow!
Data from America and Britain were analyzed after the launch of 4G internet network. It found that in areas where high-speed mobile internet became available earlier, the pace of decline in birth rates was much faster. Researchers believe that after the advent of smartphones, youth started spending most of their time online, due to which the time spent in face-to-face interactions reduced.
Experts say that a large part of dating, friendship and relationships is now limited to digital screens only. On social media, people are constantly exposed to others’ ‘perfect’ lives, which is changing their expectations of relationships. The result of this is that many people are shying away from getting into long-term relationships. The number of youth deciding to live alone is also increasing. A report in *Financial Times* states that earlier the decline in birth rate was believed to be due to the decision of married couples to have fewer children; But now the main reason for this seems to be that people are forming less relationships. In other words, a large number of people are not able to reach the stage of marriage or entering into a long-term partnership.
However, experts do not consider smartphones as the only reason for this trend. Rising house prices, job-related pressure, children’s education expenses and worries about the future are also playing an important role in this. In many countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for young people to find a stable job or buy a home. As a result, they are postponing the decision to get married and have children. The impact of social media is also clearly visible on mental health; Many reports show that constant screen time is increasing feelings of loneliness, stress and depression, which is having a negative impact on people’s social lives.
In an attempt to stop this decline in birth rates, governments of some countries are providing economic incentives. Countries like Japan and South Korea have launched a number of initiatives to encourage childbearing – including child subsidies, tax breaks and other support schemes. Yet, despite these measures, no significant improvement has been seen in the birth rate. Experts argue that just providing financial help will not solve this problem, because real change needs to come in people’s lifestyle and social behavior.