New report shows social media’s impact on Gen Z mental health

A new global report has revealed that frequent use of social media is strongly linked to lower life satisfaction, especially among young people under the age of 25.

The findings are contained in the 2026 World Happiness Report, which was released on recently to mark the International Day of Happiness.

The report measures how people in different countries feel about their lives and overall well-being.

According to the report, there has been a noticeable drop in happiness levels among young people in several developed countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Over the past decade, many of these countries have recorded steady declines in how satisfied young people feel about their lives.

Social media pressure affecting young users

The report explains that social media platforms are playing a major role in this decline. Many young people feel pressured to stay active online, constantly checking updates, posting content, and comparing themselves to others.

Even though some users are aware of the negative effects, they continue to use these platforms because their friends and peers are also there. The report highlights that many college students in the United States have admitted they wish social media platforms did not exist at all, but feel unable to stop using them.

Experts say this pattern creates a cycle where young people remain online out of fear of missing out, even when it negatively affects their mental health.

Falling happiness levels in Western countries

The report also shows that many Western countries are now less happy than they were between 2005 and 2010. Out of the countries studied, 15 recorded a significant drop in happiness levels, while only a few showed improvement.

When focusing specifically on people under 25, countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand ranked very low in terms of happiness. This suggests that younger generations in these regions are struggling more than older groups.

Different impact across generations

One of the key findings of the report is that the impact of internet and social media use differs widely across age groups:

Gen Z (young people) experience the strongest negative effects

Millennials also face negative effects, though less severe

Gen X shows little to no impact

Baby Boomers experience a slightly positive effect

This difference is largely because younger people spend more time online and are more emotionally affected by what they see and experience on social media.

How the research was conducted

The report is based on surveys from about 100,000