UN report says Social Media affects youth wellbeing

TL;DR: A United Nations-backed report released on Thursday said heavy social media use is linked to lower wellbeing among young people in several countries, while Finland remains the happiest country in the world for the ninth year in a row.

A United Nations-backed report released on Thursday said heavy social media use is linked to lower wellbeing among young people in several countries, while Finland remains the happiest country in t…
The World Happiness Report found that people under 25 in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have seen drops in happiness, especially among girls.
The report also showed that the effects of social media are mixed.
The report was based on data from 147 countries and looked at factors such as income, health, support from others, freedom, kindness, and trust in government.
At the bottom of the list was Afghanistan, where ongoing conflict and social issues continue to affect people’s daily lives.

A United Nations-backed report released on Thursday said heavy social media use is linked to lower wellbeing among young people in several countries, while Finland remains the happiest country in the world for the ninth year in a row.

The World Happiness Report found that people under 25 in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have seen drops in happiness, especially among girls. The report also showed that the effects of social media are mixed. Spending too much time online is linked to lower wellbeing, but staying away from it completely may also mean missing out on some benefits.

Experts said the impact depends on how social media is used, the platform, and personal factors like gender and income. The report was based on data from 147 countries and looked at factors such as income, health, support from others, freedom, kindness, and trust in government.

Despite the concerns, many young people around the world today feel happier than those 20 years ago.

Finland ranked highest again, followed by other Nordic countries like Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway. Costa Rica also entered the top five for the first time.

At the bottom of the list was Afghanistan, where ongoing conflict and social issues continue to affect people’s daily lives.

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