COPENHAGEN, September 20 — A study in the journal Nature Human Behaviour has linked the global spread of internet access to a decline in religious affiliation and self-identification, drawing on data from more than 100 countries between 2000 and 2020. The research was led by Dr. Jeanet Sinding Bentzen of the University of Copenhagen and Dr. Damian J. Ruck of the University of Birmingham.
It found that as internet access within a country increases, the proportion of people who identify with a religion tends to decrease. The effect is particularly strong among younger generations and in countries with higher levels of economic development.
What the researchers did
The team used a variety of statistical methods, including instrumental variable analysis, to establish a causal relationship. They controlled for factors such as GDP per capita, education levels and urbanization. The methodology involved a two-stage least squares regression using distance to internet infrastructure as an instrument for internet access, and the study controlled for country and year fixed effects.
The results showed that a 10 percentage point increase in internet access is associated with a 2 percentage point decrease in the probability of religious affiliation. The authors also conducted robustness checks using different measures of religiosity and internet access, and the findings held across subsamples including by age, gender and education.
The study suggests that exposure to diverse viewpoints and information online may lead individuals to question traditional religious teachings. The authors suggest the internet may facilitate exposure to secular worldviews and provide alternative sources of community and meaning.
A relationship that is not uniform
The authors note that the decline in religious identity is not uniform across all countries. Some nations with high internet penetration, such as the United States, have seen more stable levels of religious affiliation. The study also found the effect is stronger for measures of religious affiliation, such as membership in a religious organization, than for measures of private religious practice, such as prayer.
The effect is stronger in countries with lower initial levels of religious affiliation, and the study suggests the internet may accelerate secularization in countries already experiencing it. The study does not claim the internet is the sole cause of religious decline, but rather identifies it as a significant factor.
The researchers note that other factors, such as economic development and education, also play a role. The authors emphasize that their findings do not imply the internet is inherently anti-religious, but rather that it creates an environment where religious beliefs are more likely to be questioned. The study’s limitations include the potential for measurement error in self-reported religious affiliation and the possibility of omitted variable bias.
The authors argue that their instrumental variable strategy addresses these concerns.
Funding, data and next steps
The research was funded by the Danish National Research Foundation and the UK Economic and Social Research Council. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The study was published on August 15, 2023, and the authors have made their data and code publicly available for replication.
The research team includes economists, sociologists and data scientists, and the study was conducted over a period of three years. The authors plan to continue their research by examining the effects of specific online activities, such as social media use, on religious beliefs.
The findings add to a growing body of literature on the social effects of the internet. Previous research has linked internet use to changes in political attitudes, mental health and social trust. The authors call for further research to understand the mechanisms behind the observed decline, and for policies that help religious institutions adapt to the digital age.
What to watch next: whether follow-up work on specific online activities can isolate which parts of internet use drive the shift, and how religious institutions and policymakers respond as the debate moves from the journal pages into public argument.
