World Happiness Report Cites Social Media's Negative Impact, Ranks Finland as Happiest Country

The annual report finds heavy social media use contributes to declining well-being among young people, especially teenage girls in English-speaking countries.

Mar. 19, 2026 at 8:57am

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The 2026 World Happiness Report published by the University of Oxford found that Finland is the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive year, with other Nordic countries also ranking highly. However, the report highlighted a stark decline in well-being among young people, particularly in English-speaking countries, which it attributed to heavy social media use. The report also noted that countries with strong family and social ties, like Costa Rica, have seen improvements in overall happiness.

Why it matters

The World Happiness Report is a closely watched global survey that provides insights into the factors that contribute to overall well-being and life satisfaction around the world. The findings on the negative impact of social media usage, especially among young people, are significant given the widespread adoption of these platforms and the ongoing debates about their effects on mental health and social development.

The details

The report found that 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 on social media is a key factor in that trend. The report said the negative correlation between well-being and extensive social media use is particularly concerning among teenage girls, with 15-year-old girls who use social media for five hours or more reporting a drop in life satisfaction compared to those who use it less.

  • The 2026 World Happiness Report was published on March 19, 2026.
  • The report found that Finland has been the happiest country in the world for the past nine consecutive years.

The players

World Happiness Report

An annual report published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford that ranks countries based on factors that contribute to overall well-being and life satisfaction.

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

An Oxford economics professor who directs the Wellbeing Research Centre and co-edits the World Happiness Report.

Gallup

An analytics firm that partnered with the report to conduct the survey.

UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network

An organization that also partnered with the report.

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What they’re saying

“We think it's because of the quality of their social lives and the stability that they currently enjoy.”

— Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Oxford economics professor and co-editor of the World Happiness Report

“It is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the 'social' back into social media.”

— Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Oxford economics professor and co-editor of the World Happiness Report

What’s next

The report's findings on the negative impact of social media usage, especially among young people, are likely to fuel ongoing debates and policy discussions around regulating social media platforms and promoting digital well-being.

The takeaway

The World Happiness Report's emphasis on the detrimental effects of heavy social media use on youth well-being underscores the need for a more balanced and thoughtful approach to technology and social media, one that prioritizes human connection, mental health, and overall life satisfaction.