Gallup surveyed people aged 15 and older in 97 countries about their social media habits and emotional well-being. People with more favorable well-being across several measures weren’t the ones who spent the least time online. They were moderate users.
The finding, from Gallup’s new State of the World’s Emotional Health report, runs counter to common advice: delete the apps, and take a digital detox. It also exposes a contradiction for entrepreneurs. You’re told to protect your attention, and to show up, build your brands, and connect with customers.
Why less isn’t always better
Gallup defined moderate use as 30 minutes to less than two hours a day. High use meant two hours or more. Low use meant under 30 minutes or none. Moderate was the most common pattern: a median of 39 percent of adults across the 97 countries, compared with 31 percent for low use and 27 percent for high use.
After accounting for age, income, health, employment, social support, and other factors, Gallup found that high users reported more anger, loneliness, sadness, stress, and worry than moderate users. Low users weren’t necessarily better off. Compared with moderate users, they were less likely to report enjoyment, smiling or laughing, feeling well-rested, and being treated with respect, and they rated their lives slightly lower.
The U.S. result stands out. In the United States, 45 percent of adults are moderate users and 30 percent are high users. High users rate their lives about 0.3 points lower than moderate users on Gallup’s 0-to-10 scale. Globally, that gap wasn’t statistically significant.
Gallup offers an important caution. The differences were generally small, and the study is observational. So it can’t show that moderate use causes greater well-being.
Time online doesn’t tell the whole story
Other research raises similar questions. A 2025 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports pooled 10 studies with 4,674 participants. It found that temporarily quitting social media did not significantly improve positive emotions, negative emotions, or life satisfaction.