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Around half of those aged between 3 and 17 use TikTok and
Snapchat, figures collected as part of the watchdog’s annual
survey of children's and parents’ online attitudes showed.
The study found a slight increase in both apps’ popularity in
the past year, with TikTok now being used by 53% of children (up
from 50%), and Snapchat by 46% (up from 42%).
Both companies have faced mounting pressure over user safety in
recent months.
Various governments around the world have banned TikTok from
official devices, citing anxieties over its relationship with
the Chinese state, while Snapchat has been criticised for not
removing more underage users from its platform.
Ofcom’s annual report on attitudes towards media found
children’s usage of YouTube, Whatsapp and Instagram remained
steady (88%, 55% and 41%, respectively), while the popularity of
Meta's Facebook platform declined (from 40% to 34%).
“Children of all ages reported choosing to watch ‘dramatic’
content in various forms when selecting TV shows and films to
watch," the report said.
Ofcom also found the proportion of 3- and 4-year-olds using
Snapchat had risen to 17% in 2022, up from 12% the previous
year.
A TikTok spokesperson said government bans were based on
“fundamental misconceptions” around TikTok’s safety protocols.
A Snap spokesperson said criticism of its record on underage
users misrepresented its efforts, saying it blocks and deletes
tens of thousands of attempts by underage UK users to create
Snapchat accounts monthly.
(Reporting by Martin Coulter; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
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