20/03/2026
Today is International Day of Happiness and the 2026 World Happiness Report has been published on the theme of Happiness and Social Media.
This year’s findings include:
- The Nordic countries retain the top spots in the world happiness rankings, with Finland at no.1 again, followed by Iceland then Denmark.
- Young people’s happiness is falling in English-speaking countries and in North America and Western Europe, young people are significantly less happy than 15 years ago, unlike most of the world, where youth wellbeing has improved.
- Heavy social media use is linked to lower wellbeing with those using it social media for longer periods report lower life satisfaction than light users.
- Not all screen time is equal. Activities like messaging, learning, and creating content are linked to higher wellbeing, with passive scrolling, gaming, and “browsing for fun” are linked to lower wellbeing.
- Social media platforms that encourage connection or learning tend to support happiness, while those driven by algorithms, influencers, and comparison tend to harm it.
- Many people feel ‘trapped’ using social media. Connection in real life matters. Feeling a sense of belonging (e.g. at school or in community) has a much bigger impact on happiness than reducing social media use alone.
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The research is clear - we need to prioritise connection and community over scrolling and disconnection. I’m going to spend more time learning whilst I scroll. What would make a difference to your life?
