19
Mar
2026

Social media makes people unhappy — World Happiness Report

measurement cause and effect policy and interventions the future of wellbeing

Deutsche Welle

The report said that heavy social media use is linked to declining well-being among young people, particularly teenage girls in English-speaking and Western European countries.

The findings come as governments increasingly consider restrictions on social media use by minors.

Researchers said extensive social media use, especially more than seven hours per day, is associated with lower well-being, with algorithm-driven, image-focused platforms and influencer content cited as key factors.