Jan-Emmanuel De Neve is in the news for linking social media to youth unhappiness and global well-being rankings. Belgian economist, Oxford prof, runs Wellbeing Research Centre.
The 2026 World Happiness Report reveals a significant decline in life satisfaction among under-25s in Western countries, especially in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, linked to heavy social media use. Finland remains the happiest nation for the ninth year, while Costa Rica rises to fourth place. The report highlights social media's harmful effects on youth mental health, particularly among teenage girls.