New Delhi, April 26 -- We know it isn't good for us, and yet we doomscroll every single day often late into the night. Now, new research from the University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre claims that short-form videos-Reels on Instagram, Shorts on YouTube, and TikToks on TikTok-which deliver quick dopamine hits, may do more harm than simply disrupting sleep or reducing productivity.

The research, part of the World Happiness Report, found that algorithm-driven apps like Instagram, YouTube Shorts and TikTok, designed to keep users scrolling, are more detrimental to mental health than communication platforms such as WhatsApp. Platforms designed to facilitate direct social connection show a clear positive association with happiness, whi...