Around 20% of the time children between the ages of eight and 14 spend on platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp falls between 9 pm and 5 am, according to a recent report by the media regulator. Ofcom’s latest annual report highlighted that a considerable portion of children’s online activity occurs during nighttime hours.
The report revealed that children allocate 4-10% of their time on these social media apps between 11 pm and 5 am, with 15-24% spent between 9 pm and 5 am, varying by platform. These four platforms are among the most popular services utilized by children.
Some children expressed concerns to Ofcom about spending excessive time consuming what they described as addictive and mind-numbing content on social media platforms. This content is characterized as fast-paced, chaotic, and often nonsensical.
In a study, a 13-year-old girl shared, “I find it really hard to watch movies… So normally if I’m watching something on Netflix, I get really bored of it and I just go on my phone and I don’t even realise it, I’m just scrolling on TikTok then I look at the time and I’m like, ‘what the hell, I need to go to bed.'”
Additionally, Ofcom’s investigation into the online behaviors of the nation found that this year, 58% of 11-17-year-olds encountered bullying content online, 49% viewed hate-related content, and 30% reported seeing content promoting risky stunts or challenges.
Despite these negative aspects, young people also identified beneficial uses of the internet, with 69% of 13-17-year-olds utilizing it to support their well-being, and 78% acknowledging its assistance with school-related tasks.
In the adult demographic, Facebook remains the platform where users are most likely to report encountering harmful content. Moreover, X, previously known as Twitter, stands out as the sole top-ten social media service where male users dominate.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the UK’s search landscape, with ChatGPT recording 1.8 billion visits from the UK in the first eight months of 2025, a significant increase from 368 million visits during the same period in 2024.
Ofcom’s research also found that 5% of UK residents aged 16 and above lacked internet access at home this year, with the figure rising to 20% among those aged 75 and older.
In response to this digital divide, the Government recently launched 80 local initiatives to provide free support for people to access the internet. These projects have received financial support from the £11.7 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.
Minister for Digital Inclusion Liz Lloyd emphasized, “This Government is tearing down the barriers to success and making the future work for all, not just the fortunate.”
Ofcom conducted its fieldwork prior to the implementation of its children’s codes in July. The guidelines provided by Ofcom aim to help technology companies mitigate risks to children online, as mandated by the UK’s Online Safety Act.