May 7, 2026
(Washington) – A new report from Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) Fellow Clare Morell and Policy Analyst Chloe Lawrence reveals the frightening ways in which technology has undermined human relationships. They offer recommendations to policy makers for immediate action.
Marriage rates have fallen. Birth rates have collapsed. Pornography use is soaring. Adults aren’t socializing anymore. We have entered a bleak era for human relationships, as emerging AI capabilities threaten to further undermine these relationships and erode American social cohesion.
The new report, titled “The Impacts of Technology on Human Relationships: How Smartphones, Social Media, Pornography, and AI Chatbots Threaten Sex, Marriage, and Fertility” highlights existing research on these emerging relationship crises plaguing society and traces a direct link from the rise of smartphones, social media, online pornography, and now AI, to these issues.
“Our country is in the midst of a dire fertility crisis. One overlooked and underestimated factor in this crisis is how digital technologies are undermining and harming human relationships, marriage, and family formation. We need to help free people of digital addictions, prevent minors from accessing the most dangerous forms of these technologies, and help youth and adults put their devices down and pursue real-life relationships. The time to act is now.” – EPPC Fellow and Author of The Tech Exit, Clare Morell
“Our children and grandchildren are most vulnerable to digital technology’s devastating effects on human relationships. That is why we must respond now, especially by age restricting the pornography contaminating the internet and the chatbots manipulating minors. Addressing these threats is vital to countering the decline of marriage and family.” – EPPC Policy Analyst Chloe Lawrence
The report offers five tangible action items for policy makers:
- Require age verification for pornography sites.
- Regulate new AI technologies.
- Age restrict AI companions.
- Age restrict social media for minors.
- Regulate the supply side of the pornography industry.
The report also offers action items and recommendations for schools, church groups, parents, and concerned adults wishing to take action.
Read the full report and policy recommendations here.
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Media Inquiries:
Hunter Estes
Director of Communications
Ethics and Public Policy Center
[email protected]
