The report said the negative correlation between well-being and extensive social media use is particularly concerning among teenage girls. The 2026 Happiness Report saw a significant decline in happiness among teenage girls in countries including Canada and the U.S., due in part to the role social media plays in their lives. (Seth Wenig/The Associated Press)Young people who use social media for less than one hour per day report the highest levels of well-being, researchers said, higher than those who do not use social media at all. "It is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the 'social' back into social media," De Neve said. The report, with its focus on social media, comes at a time when more and more countries have banned or are considering bans of social media for minors.

Source: CBC News March 19, 2026 13:49 UTC