The theory that digital technology is shrinking our population has picked up steam, but many researchers aren’t convinced. Several recent working papers have suggested that smartphones and digital technology have influenced the fertility rate, but some researchers are skeptical.Anisha Chopra / NBC NewsJune 17, 2026, 7:00 PM EDTToo many Americans are “under-babied,” Dr. Mehmet Oz has said. He and other Trump administration officials frame the falling fertility rate as a crisis, fueling debates about what’s causing the decline. One argument gaining traction recently is that smartphones have made people less social and therefore less likely to have sex. Just a moment.We are getting your experience ready.
Why the falling fertility rate isn’t a crisis – and smartphones aren’t to blame
The theory that digital technology is shrinking our population has picked up steam, but many researchers aren’t convinced.
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