Heavy social media use has been linked to a sharp decline in happiness among young people, according to a major academic study.
Fifteen-year-old girls who spend over five hours a day on social media are the most affected, with life-satisfaction scores dropping significantly, the 2026 World Happiness Report reveals.
The study, conducted by the University of Oxford, surveyed 1,000 individuals annually, asking them to rate their life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10.
Under-25s in English-speaking and Western European countries have also seen a near-one-point drop in well-being over the past decade.
Those who use social media for less than an hour a day report the highest levels of well-being, according to researchers.
"We should focus on putting the 'social' back into social media," said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an Oxford economics professor.
In contrast, regions like the Middle East and South America show more positive links between social media use and well-being.
Finland remained the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, while Costa Rica rose to fourth place.
