In the era of declining population: the impact of online baby video clips on the fertility expectations of Chinese childless youth

China has officially entered the era of negative population growth since 2022. In line with the general trend of reduced birth intentions among contemporary Chinese youth, the popularity of watching online baby videos has been increasing. This paper examines the underlying mechanisms of how online baby videos influence the fertility expectations of Chinese childless youth. Both quantitative regression analysis and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted based on a questionnaire survey (n =  528) and in-depth interviews (n =  15). The results show that: (a) individuals are attracted to online baby videos due to factors such as the algorithmic recommendation mechanism of the platform, interesting video content, and the alignment with the followers’ psychology; (b) continuous engagement with online baby videos is likely to boost the fertility expectations of childless youth in two ways: by increasing their willingness to have children and reinforcing their inherent desires for parenthood; (c) the combination of emotional and rational appeals in online baby videos improves fertility expectations. The emotional appeal refers to the online baby videos that depict the emotional value of children in relation to self-growth, emotional companionship, and spiritual comfort. The rational appeal, on the other hand, refers to the online baby videos that present positive role models and decision-making bases to enhance the parenting self-efficacy of childless youth; (d) the increase in fertility willingness through watching baby videos is a subtle and gradual process, rather than an instantaneous transformation. This research not only theoretically explores the extension of dimensions of children’s emotional value but also contributes to understanding the potential role of online baby video clips in practical efforts to enhance young people’s fertility expectations.