Given a new study on children’s online behaviour, YouTube’s introduction of Shorts is understandable. In 2023, the study found that kids aged 4 to 18 spent an average of 112 minutes daily on TikTok, up from 107 minutes the previous year. While YouTube remains the top streaming app for this age group, TikTok saw 60% more usage time. The study, which also explored children’s interaction with emerging technologies like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, was conducted by Qustodio, a parental control software company.
This research, encompassing the digital habits of over 400,000 families and schools globally, provides insights into kids’ technology use across various devices and includes detailed analyses of markets like the U.S., U.K., Spain, Australia, and France. Notably, the data is based on actual technology usage by children, not survey responses, though it primarily reflects the habits of those using Qustodio’s software.
The report reveals general trends in how children interact with technology. For the first time, it includes data on emerging technologies, with a focus on AI. Since ChatGPT was only available on iOS and Android from May and July 2023, respectively, the study looked at the usage of OpenAI’s website. Nearly 20% of children globally accessed the site, with the highest usage in Australia at 24%.
In streaming, children’s viewing time of streaming services rose by 27% from the previous year. However, there was a decrease in the time spent on Netflix (4%), Disney+ (23%), and Hulu (12%). In contrast, YouTube and YouTube Kids set new records, with the latter reaching an average of 96 minutes of daily watch time, the highest since Qustodio’s data collection began in 2019. YouTube averaged 70 minutes per day.
Despite Netflix’s price increases and stricter password policies, it remained the second most popular streaming service among kids, with 40% usage. YouTube led with 63%, and Disney+ followed with 20%. Interestingly, Netflix was the only paid service to grow in popularity. Other services like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Twitch saw declines, dropping Twitch from 11% to 8% in user percentage. However, Twitch viewers increased their viewing time by 16%.
Despite the increasing worries from parents and lawmakers about the negative effects of social media, its usage among children in 2023 remained extremely popular.
TikTok led the pack as the most widely used app, attracting 44% of the young demographic globally. Following closely, Facebook demonstrated its enduring appeal with a usage rate of 38%. The influence of Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) was notable, with its rebranding contributing to an increase in usage from 30% in 2022 to 38% in 2023. Despite its popularity, it’s worth noting that X also became the third most restricted service by parents, trailing only behind TikTok and Instagram.
Completing the global list of popular social media apps were Reddit, Instagram, and Pinterest, each capturing 32%, 32%, and 31% of the market, respectively.
In the United States, the ranking varied slightly, with TikTok still in the lead, followed by X, Reddit, Facebook, Pinterest, and then Instagram. However, when it came to the actual time spent on these platforms, TikTok was in a league of its own with an impressive average of 112 minutes of daily use globally. This was significantly higher than Instagram (63 minutes), Facebook (19 minutes), Pinterest (16 minutes), X (10 minutes), and Reddit (9 minutes).
In the realm of messaging apps, Meta’s WhatsApp emerged as the top choice globally, used by 37% of children. Snapchat followed closely with a 35% usage rate, with Discord at 31%, Apple’s Messages at 28%, Skype at 21%, and Google Duo at 13%. Remarkably, Snapchat was the most time-consuming among these, with kids spending an average of 74 minutes per day on it, far surpassing Discord, which clocked in at 27 minutes per day. Had Snapchat been classified among social apps instead of communication apps, it would rank as the third most used app in terms of time spent.
In the gaming app category, Roblox emerged as the top favorite among children, with an impressive 48% global usage rate. On average, kids spent about 130 minutes per day playing Roblox. Following Roblox in popularity were other well-known games: Minecraft, Among Us, Clash Royale, Stumble Guys, and Magic Tiles 3.
Additionally, kids were not just focused on gaming; they also consistently used various learning apps. These included platforms provided by schools, such as Google Classroom, as well as other prominent educational apps. Among these, the top contenders were Duolingo for language learning, Photomath for solving math problems, Kahoot! for interactive learning games, Quizlet for study tools, Simply Piano for music learning, and Brainly for homework help and educational resources. These apps represent a blend of entertainment and educational content, highlighting the diverse interests and needs of children in the digital age.
Looking towards the future, Qustodio highlights a significant prediction regarding the proliferation of AI tools. The report anticipates that the use of AI tools will surge, with an expected annual growth rate of nearly 40% from 2023 through 2030. This rapid growth underscores the increasing role of AI in various aspects of digital life.
However, it’s interesting to note that within the younger demographic, specifically children aged 10 to 13, only a small fraction (6%) reported being active users of these AI tools. This statistic suggests that while AI is expanding rapidly, its penetration among younger kids is still relatively limited. This information is particularly relevant for parents as they consider how to guide their children’s interaction with emerging technologies.
