Mikhail Ivanov, a member of the Bryansk region's parliament and chairman of the "Operating Russia" movement, said that young couples without children should be restricted to Internet access at night to contribute to solving the low birth rate in Russia, RT reported.
He stressed that young people spending more and more time online are eroding their familys foundations. Mr. Ivanov argued that many young people today spend hours watching social networks, playing games or watching movies instead of communicating, building relationships and thinking about having children.
He said the habit is replacing face-to-face communication and exacerbating the already worrying demographic problem in Russia.
According to him, the Internet is becoming a new form of addiction, causing a "threat to national demographic security". Therefore, he called for creating conditions to encourage couples to "turn back to real-life communication and become parents in a purposeful way".
Mr. Ivanov proposed launching a "voluntary pilot" with the participation of Internet providers, social services and family psychologists to raise awareness among young couples about the importance of face-to-face communication and family planning.
According to data from the Russian Federation Statistical Office (Rosstat), in 2024, there will be 1.22 million births - down 3.4% compared to 2023 and the lowest figure since 1999. Rosstat's forecast shows that the birth rate may start to increase again from 2028.
In this context, Russian lawmakers have made a series of proposals to reverse the decline in population, including restoring "no child tax" during the Soviet era, banning abortions, requiring businesses to monitor employees' birth rates, giving female prisoners to have children to get a reduced sentence, and even encouraging women to wear short dresses in the summer.
However, these ideas caused mixed reactions in public opinion. Nina Ostanina, Chairwoman of the National Duma Committee on the Family, Women and Children, warned against making proposals that could be considered offending.
Recent surveys from Western researchers also point to a possible link between low birth rates and the growing presence of technology in life. Changes in social model, the trend of late marriage and reduced sexual activity in young people are considered contributing to this situation.
