World Happiness Report: Youth Happiness Declines Amidst Heavy Social Media Engagement
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Social Media Use Linked to Lower Youth Happiness, Especially for Girls: Report
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CNBC TV18•19-03-2026, 11:03
Social Media Use Linked to Lower Youth Happiness, Especially for Girls: Report
•World Happiness Report links heavy social media use to declining well-being in young people, particularly girls, in English-speaking countries.
•Findings emerge amidst global scrutiny of children's online activity; Australia banned social media for under-16s in December 2025.
•Report, based on data from Gallup and OECD, suggests heavy social media use correlates with lower happiness, though no direct causal link is established.
•Algorithm-driven, passively consumed content has a more negative impact than platforms fostering active social interaction.
•15-year-old girls spending over five hours daily on social media reported lower life satisfaction; overall life satisfaction dropped among under-25s in US, Canada, Australia, NZ.
