World Happiness Report links social media use and decline in happiness

Gallup report shows happiness is on a decline

Happiness is on a decline in a lot of places. A new Gallup report points to social media use as a key cause, especially among young people. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky reports.

The Gallup World Happiness Report links excessive phone and social media use, among other factors, to a decrease in happiness.

What we know:

This report is thorough and multifaceted and points to other factors such as, "GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, a sense of freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption."

The 2026 report focuses on social media use. 

What they're saying:

Heather O'Leary is an anthropologist and professor at USF. She teaches a class about happiness.

"Some of the research says, you know, like kind of zoning out and watching, binge-watching things on your phone is not very healthy," O'Leary said. 

The report said English-speaking countries like the United States have seen a drop in happiness for those under 25 linked to social media, especially among girls and women.

The other side:

However, O'Leary said phone use can be a positive if you are using it right.

"If you're watching a show with somebody right next to you or calling or texting a friend afterward and discussing the show in detail, it then goes from something that is a solo binge fest to a social interaction," O'Leary added. 

Big picture view:

"My phone personally brings me happiness in some sort of ways, like watching a funny video or just, you know, reading something funny online," said Sarah Show, a Tampa resident. "But it can also be really negative, because people can be negative towards you or in certain ways like that. I personally think phones are more negative than happier."

"If you're on it too much, or you have a problem with not being able to step away from it, then, yeah, like that could definitely affect your mental health from, like, comparing yourself to other people and just like getting sucked into social media," said Perry Taylor, a Tampa resident.

What you can do:

There are ways to combat this and in-person connection is at the top of the list.

"Friends and family play a big role," Show said. "My sport that I just came back from plays a big role."

"There's those tiny windows of jolts of joy. You don't need to wait to plan a big girl's trip vacation," O'Leary said. "You don't need to do it in the big grand style. You can also do it in terms of these little tiny drops in a bucket and still really improve your happiness."

By the numbers:

The United States is the 23rd happiest country despite a drop in happiness over the last 20 years.