World Happiness Report highlights social media's negative impact, ranks Finland as happiest country

"Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published Thursday."

"It highlighted how life evaluations among under 25-year-olds in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped significantly over the past decade, and suggested that long hours spent scrolling through social media is a key factor in that trend."

"Latin America more generally has strong family ties, strong social ties, a great level of social capital, as a sociologist would call it, more so than in other places. The report said Finland and the other Northern European countries' steady ranking on top is related to a combination of wealth, its equal distribution, having a welfare state that protects people from the risks of recessions, and a healthy life expectancy."

The World Happiness Report 2026 reveals that excessive social media consumption correlates with declining well-being among youth under 25, with pronounced negative effects on teenage girls in English-speaking nations and Western Europe. Finland ranks as the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, alongside other Nordic nations in the top ten. Life evaluations have dropped substantially in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand over the past decade. Costa Rica emerged as a notable climber, reaching fourth place, attributed to strong family bonds and social connections. Nordic countries' consistent top rankings stem from wealth distribution, robust welfare systems, and high life expectancy. Latin America generally demonstrates strong social capital through family and community ties.

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