A study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggests that the declining birth rate in the U.S. may be linked to the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Researchers Caitlin K. Myers and Ezekiel Hooper analyzed data and found that the U.S. general fertility rate has decreased by 22% since 2007, a trend that they argue cannot be fully explained by economic factors or other commonly cited reasons. The study indicates that access to the iPhone may have reduced births by 4.5–8.0% among individuals aged 15–19 and 3.2–6.6% among those aged 20–24. The analysis showed no similar correlation with pre-2011 Sprint and Verizon coverage, supporting the hypothesis that the iPhone may act as a new form of birth control. The researchers concluded that the diffusion of the iPhone accounts for 33–52% of the decline in fertility rates among women aged 15–44, attributing this to changes in social interactions and behaviors influenced by smartphone usage.
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Study Links Decline in U.S. Fertility Rates to Smartphone Usage
A recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research indicates a significant link between the introduction of the iPhone in 2007 and the decline in U.S. fertility rates. The research suggests that smartphone usage may account for a notable percentage of the decrease in births among younger age groups.
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Caitlin K. Myers
Ezekiel Hooper
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Bias Analysis
Bias score
45/100
wirepublicmainstream
flavoredpartisanadvocacy
Inflammatory language
12/100
Bias Indicators Removed
- ✕ loaded language: 'astonishing'
- ✕ loaded language: 'real cause'
- ✕ loaded language: 'hinder the population'
- ✕ framing: headline asserting a conclusion
- ✕ editorializing: the real cause of the declining birth rate may be sitting in our pockets — the iPhone
- ✕ editorializing: there is proof now that it may hinder the population of our country
Original vs. Neutral
Original Headline
America’s Fertility Crisis Has Astonishing New Link to iPhones, Study Finds
Neutral Headline
Study Links Decline in U.S. Fertility Rates to Smartphone Usage
