How happy are Peruvians? This is the position of our country in the global happiness report

Are we less happy this 2026? Yes, at least according to the result of this year’s World Happiness Report, or global happiness report, which classifies how people perceive their situation in each country, and in which Peru could not be missing. In addition, now take into account the use of social networks.

In the Peruvian case, he pointed out that insecurity, violence in the streets and political uncertainty, accompanied by an electoral context, can affect the perceived happiness of Peruvians.

“What happens is that we are in a time where there is a lot of mistrust,” said the professor from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Lima, in communication with The Commerce.

In that sense, he explained that “this perception of community is being affected.” “It is not so easy, let’s say, to enter into relationships with others and this feeling of community is affected because one of the most important motivations of human beings, as several authors say, is to establish warm relationships and trust with others,” said the specialist.

Other variables are generalized uncertainty, anxiety, and stress.

Social networks and young people

The World Happiness Report also evaluates social media use in young people and notes that heavy use causes a decline in well-being. Life satisfaction is higher when social media use is lower, according to the report that analyzes the internet activity of 15-year-old students in 47 countries.

And social networks have changed a lot since platforms like Facebook and Twitter appeared almost 20 years ago, when it consisted of sharing photos, videos, messages with your social circle: family, friends, etc.

“The idea of ​​community was reinforced more. Right now, social networks like Instagram, TikTok, are a lot about exposing yourself to others. It is as if you were in a theater: you are exposing yourself to the other and you are exposing the best version of yourself”said Ruiz.

Furthermore, for the specialist today these platforms “encourage social comparisons,” and “we are comparing ourselves to successful models that fill social networks,” which is unfair for young people.

“What perhaps should be done is to try to get them [los jóvenes]”According to their contexts, their potential, their difficulties, they find what they are looking for,” he indicated.

Currently, there is increasing intervention in the control of these platforms, with Australia being one of the first, banning the access of minors under 16 years of age to networks. Will more countries follow that path?