Over half of young Uzbeks blame internet use for strain on family relationships

The findings were released in a comprehensive report by the Ijtimoiy Fikr Republican Center for the Study of Public Opinion.

According to the data gathered, 45% of respondents identified the omnipresence of mobile devices and digital networks as the primary disruptor of contemporary domestic life. Interestingly, this concern surpassed other traditional stressors, including financial hardship, which was cited by 41.7% of participants, marital conflict at 28.3%, and the unwanted interference of extended relatives at 21.3%.

The data highlights a clear generational trend, showing that younger demographics find digital distraction most troubling. Specifically, 51% of respondents aged 18–24 categorized smartphone and network dependencies as a critical family issue. This sentiment remains high among slightly older groups, echoed by 46.2% of individuals aged 25–34 and 46.1% of those in the 35–44 age bracket.

The study also investigated the core stabilizers that help keep marriages together and shield couples from divorce. Respondents prioritized mutual respect and trust as the most critical defense mechanism, capturing 48.7% of votes. This was followed by unwavering mutual support during challenging life chapters at 35.2%, open and genuine communication at 21.5%, and a shared willingness to compromise at 19.4%.

Furthermore, 18.5% of the survey participants explicitly noted that actively limiting the intrusion of smartphones, internet browsing, and social media platforms into daily domestic routines would significantly reduce domestic friction and serve as an effective preventative measure against divorce.

The authors of the research concluded that the contemporary family structure is currently being reshaped by a combination of digital saturation, economic pressures, and interpersonal dynamics, all playing overlapping roles in household stability.

These insights follow a separate, large-scale field survey orchestrated by the Family and Gender Research Institute between March–April 2026. That study focused specifically on measuring the general happiness levels of domestic households across various regions of Uzbekistan, surveying 12,697 individuals.

Despite the digital and socio-economic hurdles identified by the public, the institute’s final calculations showed that the overall family happiness index in Uzbekistan reached a commendable 0.618 points. According to the research methodology's official evaluation scale, this score safely positions the general well-being and satisfaction of families in the country within the "high" tier.