World Happiness Report finds platforms focused on connection less harmful than algorithm-driven apps
Social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok, which encourage algorithm-driven scrolling, are worse for mental health than platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, which prioritise social connection, according to an annual barometer of global happiness.
The World Happiness Report found excessive use of social media was causing unhappiness among young people across the world, although the impact was worse in English-speaking countries and western Europe.
Overall happiness levels in the UK were at the lowest level since the report was first published in 2012.
The report, led by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, also found the type of social media used and duration of use had a significant impact on user wellbeing.
