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According to a 2023 study, ** percent of kids in the United Kingdom used *, making the****g platform the most popular social media among users aged between four and 18 years. **** followed with a reach of ** percent, while *** ranked third with a ** percent audience reach.

Mobile use and kids on apps

Coming in all price ranges, mobile phones have become a common entry point for children to access the wonders of the internet. Despite their ubiquitous usage, many Brits still have doubts about kids using them: as of January 2023, only ** percent of respondents considered it appropriate to give primary school children smartphones. In 2023, half of UK children between 8 and 11 years of age were reported to have a smartphone, while among kids aged between 5 and 7, ** percent were reported to own smartphones. Tablets were still the most used device among the youngest users, with almost to ** UK kids aged between 3 and 4 using them to watch videos; **** in ** users aged between 8 and 11 reported watching videos on mobiles.

A childproof digital environment

In 2021, the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK's data protection regulation body, approved the Age-Appropriate Design Code. The code covers the design of features and functionalities for global apps, games, connected devices, and news sources to adopt an age-appropriate design. Additionally, apps might be required to get parental permission before collecting personally identifiable information about children. According to a study of 400 apps hosted on the Google Play Store, only 5 percent required parental permission when collecting data. In April 2023, TikTok was fined**** million euros (or **** million pounds) by the ICO for failing to get parental approval for accounts of kids aged under 13 years.