A recent study by Aalto University in Finland suggests that online shopping and social media use are linked to higher stress levels compared to other internet activities such as reading news, checking emails, or watching adult entertainment. The research, which will be published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research on January 9, 2026, followed nearly 1,500 adults over seven months. Researchers combined data from about 47 million web visits and 14 million app usages with participants' self-reported stress levels.
According to doctoral researcher Mohammed Belal, "Previous studies have shown that social media and online shopping are often used to relieve stress. However, our results show that a rise in social media use or online shopping is linked to an increase in self-reported stress across multiple user groups and across devices."
The study also found that users who spent more time on YouTube, streaming services, or gaming reported increased stress. For those experiencing high levels of daily stress, time spent on social media was twice as likely to be associated with higher stress than time spent gaming. Conversely, people who spent more time reading emails or news sites reported lower stress levels. The researchers noted they only measured the amount of time spent on news sites rather than analyzing their content.
"Somewhat surprisingly, people who spent a lot of time on news sites reported less stress than others. On the other hand, those who already experienced a lot of stress didn't spend much time on news sites –– and that's consistent with previous research that shows that stress can reduce news consumption," Belal says.
Overall findings indicated a strong connection between general internet use and heightened stress—particularly among individuals already experiencing significant daily stress. Women reported higher levels of stress than men; older and wealthier participants tended to experience less. The researchers suggest the apparent de-stressing effect of adult entertainment may result from its typically brief consumption as a short-term reliever.
Assistant professor Juhi Kulshrestha explained that this study is among the first to track internet usage directly via installed software rather than relying solely on self-reporting by subjects. She highlighted the importance of further investigation: "Are people more stressed because they are spending more time online shopping or on social media, or are such sites offering them an important support in times of duress? It's really crucial that we study these issues further so we can solve that chicken and egg problem," says Kulshrestha. "Putting a blanket ban or upper limits on certain kinds of internet usage may not actually end up solving the issues, and could even take away a vital support for people who are struggling."
The research comes amid increasing scrutiny over how social media affects well-being globally—for instance, following Australia's recent decision to ban children from using social media platforms.
Belal pointed out gaps in current scientific understanding: "It leaves a huge critical gap in understanding how online behaviors impact stress and well-being."
Looking ahead, researchers plan to examine how different types of news—such as political or sports coverage—relate to users’ well-being outcomes. Kulshrestha added: "As we gain increasingly accurate information about people's internet usage, it will be possible to design new kinds of tools that people can use to regulate their browsing and improve their well-being."
