Heavy social media use is driving a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying for teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe. According to the World Happiness Report 2026, published Thursday, the trend is most pronounced in those scrolling through visual, algorithm-heavy platforms.
The annual report, released by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, found that Finland remains the happiest land in the world for the ninth consecutive year. Other Nordic nations, including Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, continue to dominate the top 10.
However, the data highlighted a troubling shift for under-25-year-olds in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Life evaluations in these regions have dropped significantly over the past decade. Researchers suggested that long hours spent on social media is a key factor in this downturn.
A notable entry to the top five is Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place this year, a remarkable rise from 23rd in 2023. The report attributes this success to strong family bonds and social connections. “We think it’s because of the quality of their social lives and the stability they enjoy,” said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an Oxford economics professor and co-editor of the report. He noted that Latin America generally benefits from high levels of "social capital" through robust family ties.
In contrast, Finland’s top ranking is linked to wealth equality, a welfare state that buffers against recession, and high life expectancy. Finnish President Alexander Stubb remarked: “I do not think there is a magic potion, but it helps to have a society which strives towards freedom, equality and justice.” Semi Salmi, a pensioner in Helsinki, echoed this, citing faith in the government and access to quality healthcare.
As in previous years, nations in conflict zones remain at the foot of the rankings. Afghanistan is again the unhappiest country, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi. Rankings were based on self-evaluations from approximately 100,000 people across 140 countries, conducted in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Interestingly, the link between social media and well-being is not universally negative. In parts of the Middle East and South America, youth well-being has not fallen despite heavy usage. The report concluded that the most problematic platforms are those featuring influencers and visual content that encourage social comparisons. Users of platforms that primarily facilitate direct communication tended to fare better.
For the second year running, no English-speaking countries appeared in the top 10. The US sits at 23rd, Canada at 25th, and Britain at 29th. The findings arrive as several nations consider or implement social media bans for minors to combat the mental health crisis.