The Digital Second Shift: Gender Gap in Parenting App Usage in China

Huan Cai, Lu Dong and Jian Xie
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Huan Cai: College of Business, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
Lu Dong: College of Business, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China
Jian Xie: College of Business, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), Shenzhen, China

CAGE Online Working Paper Series from Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE)

Abstract: This paper examines gender disparities in parenting in the digital domain, using a novel dataset that records the gender composition of users across more than 6,000 app-level observations in China. Two patterns stand out. First, parenting apps are strongly feminized: women account for nearly two-thirds of users, compared to fewer than half for the typical non-parenting app. Second, the female share is highest in cities where women enjoy greater income and educational attainment, and lowest in areas marked by more entrenched gender inequality. The women most engaged in digital caregiving are therefore those best positioned to transcend traditional roles. Mechanism analysis suggests that this is not driven by broader digital fluency among affluent women, but rather reflects their intentional choice for intensive parenting practices.

Keywords: Gender Inequality; Digital Technology; Parenting; Unpaid labor; China JEL Classification: J13; J16; O33 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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