UK children are spending at least two hours a day on social media, Ofcom finds

UK children are spending at least two hours a day on social media, Ofcom finds YouTube and Snapchat have emerged as the two most popular online platforms for children aged between eight and 14 - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Children in the UK aged between eight and 14 are spending nearly three hours online every day, with the majority of that time dedicated to social media platforms, new research from media regulator Ofcom reveals. At least two hours of their daily online activity is spent engaging with various social media services. YouTube emerges as the dominant platform for this age group, accounting for 27 per csent of their online activity, or an average of 48 minutes daily. Snapchat follows closely behind, capturing 25 per cent of online time at 45 minutes a day. Other platforms see less engagement, with TikTok used for 15 minutes (8 per cent), WhatsApp for nine minutes (5 per cent), Instagram for four minutes (2 per cent), and Facebook or Messenger for three minutes (2 per cent). Ofcom's findings highlight significant shifts in platform preference as children age. While eight to nine-year-olds dedicate a substantial 53 minutes (45 per cent of their online time) to YouTube, this figure drops to 31 minutes (13 per cent) for 13 to 14-year-olds. Conversely, Snapchat's appeal grows sharply with age, from just six minutes daily for the youngest cohort to a considerable one hour and 37 minutes for 13 to 14-year-olds, representing 40 per cent of their online activity. TikTok usage also sees a gradual increase, from six minutes for eight to nine-year-olds to 21 minutes for 13 to 14-year-olds. The study, based on a representative sample of 692 UK children who go online, also uncovered a notable gender gap in screen time. Girls aged eight to 14 spend an average of three hours and seven minutes online daily, 17 minutes more than boys, who average two hours and 50 minutes. This disparity is even more pronounced among 13 to 14-year-olds, where girls are online for four hours and 28 minutes compared to boys' three hours and 30 minutes. Ofcom suggests the exclusion of gaming devices from the data, which focuses on smartphones, tablets, and computers, may contribute to this difference. Beyond the 14-year mark, separate data from Ipsos indicates a sharp decline in Snapchat engagement. For 15 to 17-year-olds, Snapchat usage falls to approximately 35 minutes a day, making up just nine per cent of their total online time, a significant drop from the 40 per cent observed in the 13 to 14 age group. For this older demographic, YouTube maintains its lead with one hour and 46 minutes of daily use (28 per cent), followed by TikTok at 50 minutes (13 per cent), Instagram at 36 minutes (9 per cent), and Snapchat at 35 minutes (9 per cent). Concerns about late-night screen time are also raised, with Ofcom revealing that 64 per cent of eight to 14-year-olds accessed their devices between 11 pm and 5 am at least once over a four-week period. Snapchat users were particularly active during these hours, with 79 per cent visiting the platform, followed by WhatsApp (69 per cent), YouTube (52 per cent), TikTok (51 per cent), and Instagram (46 per cent). Across key platforms, between 4 and 10 per cent of total online time for the 8-14 age group occurs between 11 pm and 5 am. These insights underscore the pervasive and evolving nature of online engagement among young people in the UK, highlighting distinct usage patterns across age groups and times of day. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments