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Cited by 105Work-Family Balance ChallengesFamily Dynamics and RelationshipsGender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

Does broadband Internet affect fertility?

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Billari, Francesco C., Giuntella, Osea, Stella, Luca·2019·Population Studies
DOI 10.1080/00324728.2019.1584327
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Abstract

The spread of high-speed (broadband) Internet epitomizes the digital revolution. Using German panel data, we test whether the availability of broadband influences fertility choices in a low-fertility setting well known for the difficulty in combining work and family life. We exploit a strategy devised by Falck and colleagues to obtain causal estimates of the impact of broadband on fertility. We find positive effects of broadband availability on the fertility of highly educated women aged 25-45. We further confirm this result using county-level data on total fertility. We show that broadband access significantly increases the share of women reporting home- or part-time working. Furthermore, we find positive effects on time spent with children and overall life satisfaction. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that access to broadband allows highly educated women, but not the less educated, to reconcile career and motherhood, which may promote a 'digital divide' in fertility.

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  • Internet access has raised fertility among highly educated women aged 24-39 in Germany, presumably by alleviating the trade-off between childcare and employment.

    “but has raised fertility among highly educated women aged 24-39 in Germany, presumably by alleviating the trade-off between childcare and employment (Billari et al. 2019).”

    From Fertility in High-Income Countries: Trends, Patterns, Determinants, and Consequences (2024) · cites this paper as Billari et al. 2019

    The Conclusion reports a positive, though imprecise, effect of broadband access on fertility among highly educated women in Germany aged 25–45. It says the findings are consistent with easier reconciliation of work and motherhood. The cited paper does not establish the claim for the stated 24–39 age group, and its finding concerns broadband rather than Internet access generally. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Billari, F. C., Giuntella, O., & Stella, L.
Affiliations
  • Bocconi University (IT)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
  • IZA - Institute of Labor Economics (DE)
ORCID
Venue
Population Studies
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2019-03-28
Volume
73
Issue
3
Pages
297-316
ISSN
  • 0032-4728 (ISSN-L)
  • 1477-4747
DOI
10.1080/00324728.2019.1584327
OpenAlex
W2752354884
Cited by
105
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 1
FWCI
23.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Population Studies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Bocconi (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubliCatt (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
H2020 European Research Council (694262)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Work-Family Balance Challenges
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics
Keywords
broadband, fertility, digital divide, highly educated women, work-family balance, part-time work, working from home, time with children, life satisfaction, digital revolution
MeSH terms
Adult, Educational Status, Family Characteristics, Female, Germany, Humans, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Population Dynamics, Socioeconomic Factors, Time Factors, Women, Working, Internet

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