A Depressing Internet Tale: Empirical Analysis of the Internet’s Impact on Suicide

Abstract

Has widespread diffusion of the internet influenced suicide, and if so, how? To answer this important question, we examined the association between internet access and suicide in the United States between 2009 and 2013. The empirical evidence shows that the association varies depending on the type of internet services accessed, and that the spread of mobile access is positively associated with an increase in suicide. We did not, however, find evidence that fixed internet use has any effect on suicide. We also examined the conditions under which a positive association with mobile internet access is greater. We find that a positive impact of mobile internet on suicide is most evident in communities with low social capital, low ethnic density level, and high urbanization level. By demonstrating that access to the mobile internet is positively associated with suicide, we contribute to the literature addressing the dark side of internet proliferation.