Online Nation Report 2025

UK adults spend an average of four and a half hours online a day – up by 10 minutes from 2024. Most time online is on a smartphone. One in 20 people remain without internet access at home. Half (51%) of time online is spent on services owned by Alphabet or Meta. Smartphone users use on average 41 apps in a month. Google is still the most-used search service, but Gen AI services are changing the sector. YouTube, Facebook/Messenger and Instagram are the top three social media services. WhatsApp is the top messaging app and is growing. Most (59%) UK adults use online intermediaries for their online news. Adults are less positive about the internet's societal impact than they were in 2024. More people say they have seen something upsetting online than last year – but there has been a decline in exposure to potentially harmful content. Children aged 8-14 spend an average of nearly 3 hours online each day. Most children are happy with what they do online, though this is lower for older children. Many children use the online world to aid their wellbeing. Nearly all children say that being online helps them to learn about the world, develop new skills and build social connections. But some children identify the negative impact of endlessly scrolling online, and it leading to ‘brain-rot’