Social Media, Youth and the Happiness Gap

The latest global happiness study says that scrolling through feeds is hurting young people’s sense of well‑being, especially teenage girls in English‑speaking and Western European nations. The research shows that life satisfaction scores for those under 25 in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have fallen by almost a point over ten years. Experts link this trend to the hours spent on social media. Finland has once again topped the list of happiest countries, holding its spot for nine straight years. The Nordic group – Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway – also ranks high. Their success is attributed to strong economies, fair wealth distribution, protective welfare systems and long life expectancy. A surprising newcomer is Costa Rica, leaping from 23rd to fourth place. Analysts credit the country’s close family ties and robust social networks for its rise. “Latin America generally enjoys strong family bonds and social capital, ” one researcher noted.Countries near conflict zones still trail at the bottom of the rankings, with Afghanistan again leading in unhappiness. Data came from about 100, 000 respondents across 140 nations, who rated their lives on a scale of zero to ten. In many places, roughly 1, 000 people are surveyed each year. The study also finds that teens who use social media for less than an hour daily report higher happiness levels than those who spend five or more hours. Interestingly, the lowest well‑being scores appear among heavy users of algorithm‑driven, visual platforms that encourage comparison. In contrast, communication‑focused apps are linked to better outcomes. While social media’s negative impact is clear in some regions, other parts of the world – such as the Middle East and South America – show more positive or neutral relationships between online use and youth happiness. The report concludes that heavy social media engagement remains a significant factor in the decline of young people’s well‑being. The 2026 rankings mark the second year that none of the English‑speaking countries appear in the top ten. The United States sits at 23rd, Canada at 25th and Britain at 29th. The findings come as several nations debate or implement bans on social media for minors.