Digitization, social capital, and subjective well-being across the globe

Previous research showed the positive impact of social capital measured as trust, social and political activism, and the frequency of communication via information channels on life satisfaction. The usage of new technologies brings changes in human communications and connections. At the same time, the recent massive digitalization of social life questions happiness sustainability. This research highlights the moderation effect of digital development at the national level on the association of social capital and subjective well-being at individual level. With the help of multilevel modeling based on the latest wave of World Value Survey data for 2017–2020, we test how the Internet, mobile phone and social media penetration in a given country moderate the link between subjective well-being of individuals and their social capital measured as trust, confidence in institutions, social and political activism, and frequency of usage of information channels. The results demonstrated a significantly important role of the new technologies for individual happiness and life satisfaction. Thus, for example, the higher number of social media users in a given country improves membership opportunities, which positively contributes to individual happiness.