International Evidence on Happiness and Social Media

This technical report presents findings from the World Happiness Report 2026, focusing on the relationship between social media use and happiness. It outlines global happiness rankings, noting that Nordic countries, particularly Finland, consistently lead in happiness, while significant variations exist in youth happiness across different regions. The report highlights that life satisfaction tends to be highest with low social media usage and decreases with higher usage rates, particularly among youth. It differentiates between types of internet activities, indicating that communication and content creation correlate positively with life satisfaction, whereas social media and gaming are linked to lower evaluations. The document also discusses the implications of social media platform design on happiness, noting that platforms fostering social connections are associated with positive outcomes, while algorithmically driven content can have negative effects. The analysis includes data from the Gallup World Poll and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), emphasizing the importance of context in understanding these trends.