As the vast majority of the country’s population got to grips with the new normal of home-based working and education since lockdown in March 2020, UK adults have driven internet use to record levels says research from telecoms and broadcast regulator Ofcom.
Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report revealed that in April 2020, during the height of lockdown, UK adults spent a daily average of four hours and two minutes online, up from just under three and a half hours in September 2019.
As lockdown progressed and with people seeking new ways to keep connected, informed, entertained and fit during the pandemic — such as through the BBC’s highly expanded package of iPlayer content — emerging video-sharing and video-calling services were surging in popularity. The study found that the TikTok video platform reached 12.9 million UK adult visitors in April, up from just 5.4 million in January. Live video streaming platform Twitch, popular among eSports users and gamers, saw visitors increase from 2.3 million to 4.2 million adults.
The report found that nine in 10 online adults, and almost all older children aged 8-15, used at least one of YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, in the last year, with many watching videos several times a day. Just under a third (32%) of online adults were found to now spend more time viewing video-sharing services than broadcast television.
Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report also found that UK adult visitors to YouTube spent an average of 28 minutes 52 seconds on the site per day in September 2019; while 18-24s spent more than twice as long at one hour and five minutes.
During lockdown in April 2020, average daily time spent on YouTube increased to 43 minutes and 7 seconds among adult visitors, and to one hour 32 minutes among 18-24s. This excluded YouTube TV set use.
As lockdown progressed and with people seeking new ways to keep connected, informed, entertained and fit during the pandemic — such as through the BBC’s highly expanded package of iPlayer content — emerging video-sharing and video-calling services were surging in popularity. The study found that the TikTok video platform reached 12.9 million UK adult visitors in April, up from just 5.4 million in January. Live video streaming platform Twitch, popular among eSports users and gamers, saw visitors increase from 2.3 million to 4.2 million adults.
The report found that nine in 10 online adults, and almost all older children aged 8-15, used at least one of YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, in the last year, with many watching videos several times a day. Just under a third (32%) of online adults were found to now spend more time viewing video-sharing services than broadcast television.
Ofcom’s annual Online Nation report also found that UK adult visitors to YouTube spent an average of 28 minutes 52 seconds on the site per day in September 2019; while 18-24s spent more than twice as long at one hour and five minutes.
During lockdown in April 2020, average daily time spent on YouTube increased to 43 minutes and 7 seconds among adult visitors, and to one hour 32 minutes among 18-24s. This excluded YouTube TV set use.
