Oxford News
World Happiness Report 2026 shows a complex global picture of social media and happiness
Life evaluations among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped dramatically (by almost one point on a 0-10 scale) over the past decade, while the average for the young in the rest of the world has increased, according to Gallup World Poll data.
One international survey of 15-year-olds in nearly 50 countries suggests heavy social media use is associated, on average, with a significant drop in wellbeing among the students surveyed, though any effect is highly dependent on the type of social media platform being used, how it is used, as well as demographic factors such as gender and socio-economic status.
The global evidence makes clear that the links between social media use and our wellbeing heavily depend on what platforms we’re using, who’s using them and how, as well as for how long. Heavy usage is associated with much lower wellbeing, but those deliberately off social media also appear to be missing out on some positive effects. Beyond the complexity, it is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the ‘social’ back into social media.
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director, Wellbeing Research Centre
Other factors, such as social connections and a sense of belonging, are associated with much bigger changes in how respondents feel about their lives.
Young people who use social media for less than one hour per day report the highest levels of wellbeing – higher than those who do not use social media at all. But adolescents are, by one estimate, spending an average of 2.5 hours a day on social media.
The findings are published today ahead of the UN’s International Day of Happiness. The rankings are powered by Gallup World Poll data and other sources, and analysed by an international team of leading experts in wellbeing science.
Contributors include the psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, generational differences expert Jean Twenge, and Nudge co-author Cass Sunstein.
The evidence describes a complex global picture at a time when many countries are seeking to implement greater legislative protections for under-16s online.
Further key findings published in World Happiness Report 2026 include:
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Despite similar levels of social media use compared to other countries, the largest drops in wellbeing among young people are observed in English-speaking countries, in particular in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
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An association between social media and reduced wellbeing is found in multiple sources including surveys, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, and natural experiments …
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… but there is considerable variation in the interpretation of evidence by professional science organisations, including differences in citation accuracy, contextual detail, acknowledgement of limitations, and conclusion strength.
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Platforms driven by algorithmically curated content tend to demonstrate a negative association with wellbeing, yet those designed to facilitate social connections show a clear positive association with happiness.
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Social media creates a standard collective action problem – if social media channels exist, people lose out by not joining, but most people agree they would be better off if they did not exist.
The 14th edition of the World Happiness Report also contains a ranking of the world’s happiest countries:
Finland leads the world in happiness for a record ninth year in a row, with Finns reporting an average score of 7.764 (out of 10) when asked to evaluate their lives.
Costa Rica (4th) climbs to its best-ever position, continuing a multi-year rise from a low of 23rd in 2023, while former table-topper Switzerland (10th) re-enters the top 10 after a one-year absence.
Continued upward trends for countries such as Kosovo (16th), Slovenia (18th) and Czechia (20th) underline the convergence of happiness levels between Central and Eastern Europe, and Western Europe.
The 2026 rankings mark the second year in a row that none of the English-speaking countries, New Zealand (11th), Ireland (13th), Australia (15th), United States (23rd), Canada (25th), and the UK (29th) appear in the top 10, with only half in the top 20. Nations in or near zones of major conflict remain at the foot of the rankings.
Rankings are based on a three-year average of each population’s average assessment of their quality of life. Experts then seek to account for the variations across countries and over time using factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, a sense of freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
These factors help to explain the differences across nations, while the rankings themselves are based solely on the answers people give when asked to rate their own lives.
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, and an editor of the World Happiness Report, said: ‘The global evidence makes clear that the links between social media use and our wellbeing heavily depend on what platforms we’re using, who’s using them and how, as well as for how long. Heavy usage is associated with much lower wellbeing, but those deliberately off social media also appear to be missing out on some positive effects. Beyond the complexity, it is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the ‘social’ back into social media.’
Read the report in full at worldhappiness.report, and explore the data at data.worldhappiness.report.
For more information about this story or republishing this content, please contact [email protected]
The Cotswolds pad was used as a base during the UK stint on her Eras tour with the 36-year-old popstar enjoying a slice of the countryside.
Reports at the time stated that the stay was at a £3,250-a-night farmhouse just a stone’s throw away from celebrity-favourite hotspot Soho Farmhouse.
She’s believed to have rented the home for the entire duration of her UK and European leg of her mammoth Eras tour, which ended at Wembley Stadium in London on August 20, 2024.
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Her NFL player boyfriend Travis Kelce was said to be joining her during her stay, according to reports by The Sun at the time.
A source said: “Taylor has booked the cottage while she is over in the UK. She wants a place to unwind away from the tour, and the countryside is her happy place.
“Taylor loves dressing up in sequins on stage but is most at home in muddy boots in the fresh air.”
The idyllic countryside location has long been a favourite spot for celebrities including Kate Moss, the Beckhams, and Jeremy Clarkson.
This revelation came after claims she bought a North London home worth around £10m, according to further reports from The Sun.
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The reported new property allegedly once belonged to a politician and is understood to be undergoing “significant building works” to create a private estate for the US singer.
Ms Swift opened the UK leg of the Eras Tour in Edinburgh from Friday, June 7, to Sunday, June 9, last year and treated crowds at Murrayfield Stadium to hits from across her 11 studio albums for three hours.
Ellie Poulte, a 19-year-old from Oxford, was the first person to start queuing for the show, arriving at 6am on Thursday, June 6, with her tent, even though she had tickets for Saturday’s show.
Ms Swift took to the stage at Murrayfield Stadium, saying it was “the most highly attended stadium show in Scottish history”.
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The billionaire singer-songwriter made several costume changes each night with outfits including a blue and silver sequinned bodysuit, a long asymmetrical-hem orange dress and a lime-green flowing dress with cut-outs.
Ms Swift’s revamped setlist for the UK and European dates saw her cut several songs to showcase music from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.
This included But Daddy I Love Him, Down Bad, Fortnight, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, and I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.
US pop-punk band Paramore, consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York and Zac Farro, warmed up for Ms Swift at Edinburgh and supported her across all the UK dates.
Thames Valley Police’s Didcot and Wallingford Neighbourhood Police Team reported that they had stopped a driver in the past week who was uninsured and under the influence.
They said this in a wide-ranging update released today (Thursday, June 4).
A spokesperson said: “Breathalyser results showed the driver was four times over the legal alcohol limit.
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“We’ve since been updated that the courts have issued a three‑year driving ban and an eight‑week suspended sentence.”
This was not the only car the unit seized recently as they also confiscated a vehicle after they found it had no valid MOT.
The spokesperson said: “We initially intended to stop the driver and offer some advice, but further checks revealed they’d already been warned just a month ago for the same issue… and, to top it off, they didn’t hold a valid driving licence.”
Nor were cars the only vehicle the team were focused on over the past week.
They said: “We dealt with cyclists running red lights at a pedestrian crossing… directly in front of a marked police vehicle. A bold strategy
“Words of advice (and reminders of road law responsibilities) were given. Whether on four wheels, two wheels or two feet – the rules apply to everyone.”
Following an increase in discarded nitrous oxide (NOS) canisters, the PCSOs spoke with members of the public about the drug, including health risks and community impact.
READ MORE: Police warning as Audi SUV ‘stolen’ after Cotswolds ‘break-ins’
They also supported the search for a missing child.
“Thanks to quick reporting,” said the spokesperson, “fast‑time enquiries and coordinated searching, the child was located swiftly and safely”.
They added: “Early reporting really does make a difference, and we’re glad this one had a positive outcome.”
Cow Lane between East Hanney and Grove, south of School Road, is in a “terrible condition,” but locals claim Oxfordshire County Council’s highways department is refusing to take responsibility for repairs.
The council says its only duty is to maintain the surface for walkers and horse riders, despite frequent use by vehicles.
Andrew Wastie, a resident of the Causeway, said to Hanney News: “The section of road in question is marked in ‘red’ on the pic, and is a ‘byway’ leading to a restricted ‘byway.’
“This application for funding has not being made without exhausting all other avenues such as Highways, Fix my Street and the parish councils.
READ MORE: ‘His smile could light up the sky’: tributes after aspiring pilot killed
“There is no legal obligation for Highways to maintain the byway beyond being fit for walkers or horses, despite its heavy use by cars, so it is up to the users to improve matters.”
Mr Wastie said residents have maintained the surface for years but many are now unable to help due to age or health.
He said: “We have a number of people who are suffering from serious ill health who use the byway.
“Some have for many years made significant contributions to our community, and now need our assistance to help them.”
Mr Wastie said Hanney villagers installed the private section of road in 1975, and have maintained Cow Lane ever since.
He said: “The work needed is simple and we have received a quote from a contractor for planing the surface, redistributing the material and using an eight tonne roller to flatten it.
“The quote is a very reasonable £750.
“Cow Lane is open to all in the village and all will benefit from its remedial works.”
Cow Lane also has historical significance.
Mr Wastie said: This section of Cow Lane is an old historic Roman road linking Abingdon to Grove.
“This feature in itself is a worthy cause for maintenance for historic Britain and for the bigger picture of assisting those in need today and beyond.”
He also made a request to parents and carers who park along the lane during school runs.
Mr Wastie said: “if you have to park on Cow Lane please do not park on the junction, blocking the footpath all of which are a traffic offence and to please park considerately.”
The fundraising has now made the required amount to fix the road.
In a statement Oxfordsire County Council said: “With a limited budget for Rights of Way maintenance along Oxfordshire’s 2,700-mile network, Oxfordshire County Council has to prioritise its finite resources into the areas where it is most needed.
“As a byway, Cow Lane is not maintained to the standards of the general road network.”
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