One in Four Americans in Their 20s Has No Sex Life... "Electronic Opium" Blamed

The Proportion of Young People Abstaining from Sex Doubled in 14 Years
Sharp Decline in Sexual Activity and Cohabitation Among Younger Generations
Digital Environment Impacts Formation of Intimacy

As the proportion of adults in the United States who have regular sexual intercourse has reached an all-time low, analysts say the so-called "sex recession" phenomenon is becoming increasingly evident. Experts have identified the proliferation of digital content and changes in social structure as the main causes of this trend.

Newsweek recently reported on this issue, citing the results of a survey released by the Institute for Family Studies (IFS). According to the survey, only 37% of 1,000 adults aged 18 to 64 responded that they have sex at least once a week. This figure represents an 18 percentage point drop from 55% in 1990.

The decline in sexual activity is particularly pronounced among younger generations. Among respondents aged 18 to 29, the proportion who said they had not had sex in the past year doubled from 12% in 2010 to 24% last year.

In the same age group, the percentage who responded that they were "living with a partner" also fell from 42% in 2014 to 32% in 2024. Regarding this, IFS interpreted, "As the proportion of young men and women living together decreases, the number of those maintaining regular sexual relationships is also declining."

Smartphones Have Changed Human Relationships: "Electronic Opium Replaces Human Connection"

There are indications that changes in social relationships due to the digital environment are directly affecting this situation. According to the report, the amount of time people in their 20s and 30s spend with friends plummeted from an average of 12.8 hours per week in 2010 to 5.1 hours in 2024. In particular, the generation that went through adolescence during 2010 to 2015, when smartphones and social media became widespread, has been less exposed to socialization compared to the past, making them more vulnerable to interpersonal relationships and intimate exchanges. This is also said to affect the formation of sexual relationships.

Married individuals are no exception. Among married adults, those who reported "having sex at least once a week" dropped from 59% during 1996 to 2008 to 49% between 2010 and 2024. This trend has been observed evenly across all age groups, not limited to any particular generation.

In its report, IFS described the digital revolution as "electronic opium," warning that the consumption of digital content is hindering the formation of human relationships. As time spent on social media, online games, and streaming content increases, sleep time decreases, and there is a tendency for reduced conversation and physical contact between couples. Mark Regnerus, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas, pointed out, "People are increasingly replacing time spent with others with digital activities."

Experts warn that this trend could affect not just individual private lives but the overall structure of society. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that over the next 30 years, the total fertility rate in the United States will remain at 1.6, far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the population. As the "sex recession" phenomenon is also impacting the national population structure, including lower birth rates, there are calls for a more proactive response.

Professor Regnerus expressed concern, stating, "We are becoming increasingly bland and boring to one another," and warned, "Such disconnection in human relationships could ultimately serve as a significant factor undermining social cohesion."