While most youth around the world are happier today than they were 20 years ago, it’s not true for the United States, other English-speaking countries and parts of Western Europe, reports BritPanorama.
This finding comes from the latest World Happiness Report, released annually on the International Day of Happiness, designated by the United Nations as March 20.
Social media may be partly to blame; this year’s report found that youth who used social media for more than five hours daily reported a lower level of well-being.
The survey covers 96% of the world’s population in at least 140 countries each year, employing a mix of in-person and phone interviews conducted in respondents’ native languages, according to Ilana Ron-Levey, managing director at Gallup.
Researchers noted “declines in youth well-being in a subset of developed countries, particularly the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand,” Ron-Levey stated. The data also showed declines in France, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Interestingly, Ron-Levey found that youth happiness has increased in some central European countries, despite high internet penetration and widespread social media use. This phenomenon might be attributed to strong family relationships and social connections.
While the report does not conclude that social media is the sole or dominant factor explaining these differences in youth well-being, it is mentioned as one contributing element.
The report, produced in collaboration with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an independent editorial board, is widely recognized for its annual ranking of the world’s happiest countries. However, it also analyzes issues impacting the well-being of various demographics each year.
This year’s focus is the impact of social media on well-being — a subject that may reshape perceptions of social media usage.
Social media and the ‘trap’ effect
People are increasingly aware of the negative effects associated with social media, such as feelings of sadness and anxiety, said coauthor Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard Law School. His research seeks to understand why individuals find it challenging to disengage from these platforms.
Sunstein analyzed three studies and discovered that many young people engage with social media primarily because their peers do, despite wishing such platforms did not exist.
Social pressure and the fear of missing out are significant reasons explaining why users remain active on these apps.
Furthermore, Sunstein observed that while individuals would be unlikely to pay for social media usage, they would require significant financial incentives to stay offline, even when it leads to improved mental health. For instance, those who abstain from Facebook for a month experience increased happiness, reduced anxiety, and lower depression, yet would need approximately $85 to stay off for another month. Intriguingly, they would also be willing to pay for their peers to avoid the same platforms.
Heavy social media use seems to be a critical divide between youth who report satisfaction and those who do not. Analysis of data from 15-year-olds globally revealed significantly lower life satisfaction among girls who use social media heavily. This trend was observed in boys only in certain regions, with girls generally experiencing worse outcomes from social media engagement.
Coauthor Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University, suggested that the prevailing belief that teen girls need social media for a complete social experience is incorrect. In many areas, girls who abstain from social media entirely reported the highest levels of life satisfaction.
Despite extensive use in the Middle East and North Africa, Burger noted that the main takeaway remains that social media is not inherently harmful but becomes problematic at high levels of use. The researchers consistently documented that spending over five hours per day on social media correlates with increased stress, depressive symptoms, and negative social comparisons.
Examining social comparison dynamics, researchers found that constant exposure to curated, idealized content significantly undermines well-being — particularly for those reliant on social media, follow influencers, or utilize multiple platforms.
Why your friends’ scrolling can affect you
The impact of social media on individual well-being cannot be simplified to a single narrative due to the pervasive “peer group” effect.
As coauthors Zeynep Ozkok, Jonathan Rosborough, and Brandon Malloy of St. Francis Xavier University stated, “The internet is not equally good or bad for everyone — it depends heavily on who you are and the digital world surrounding you.”
Social media can foster positive experiences when peer exposure is minimal, yet it tends to become detrimental as engagement with online content increases among one’s friends.
Researchers found that internet usage is most damaging for Gen Z, less so for millennials, and generally neutral for Gen X, with some benefits for baby boomers. Such generational disparities illustrate that young people are online more than their older counterparts, and excessive online time is increasingly linked to negative feelings among youth, more so than for older generations.
The report notes that the internet might exacerbate existing social issues rather than serve as the sole culprit, highlighting declining trust and fewer in-person interactions among many younger individuals who feel socially left behind.
What you watch affects your well-being
Faced with the omnipresence of social media, experts from the World Happiness Report offer several recommendations.
Watch intensity, not just screen time. Research indicates a significant decline in well-being beyond heavy use, particularly beyond five hours per day. Interventions should prioritize fostering healthy usage patterns rather than only aiming to decrease overall time spent online.
Reduce comparison triggers. If your feed showcases influencers or idealized imaging, take proactive measures to adjust your online environment, such as unfollowing accounts that promote unrealistic standards.
Create a shared commitment to step away. Leaving social media can be easier if friends collectively reduce their usage. Consider group arrangements like phone-free gatherings or designated social media off days.
Prioritize offline connections. Several chapters in the World Happiness Report link well-being with trust and real-life social bonds. While reducing social media usage, replace it with engaging in sports and volunteering rather than merely removing it.
Be cautious of definitive claims, including your own. Treating every social media finding as absolute may backfire. Regular check-ins with family and friends about social media’s effects can help adjust personal or shared guidelines accordingly.
Set an intensity guardrail. Limiting usage to approximately one hour daily often yields notable improvements in well-being.
Parents as role models. As emphasized by Ron-Levey, parents shape their children’s social media habits from childhood to adolescence.
The ongoing discourse around youth well-being and social media use continues to evolve, prompting reflection on future strategies for fostering healthier online interactions.
