7 Online Trends according to latest Ofcom Media Lives report

Today telecoms regulator Ofcom published its latest research which looks at how people in the UK access, use and think about their online and media lives.

Its Media Use and Attitudes and Media Lives reports – of which the adults’ research is now in its twentieth year – highlight online and media use by asking children and adults across the UK about the role that tech and media play in their lives. Here are its main findings.

AI is on the rise – but it’s not trusted by all

Ofcom’s latest research reveals a surge in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the UK, but public trust in the technology remains stagnant. While three in ten adults report using AI tools, the level of trust has not increased since 2023.

The Ofcom report, encompassing findings from the Media Use and Attitudes and Media Lives studies, indicates a significant uptick in the adoption of AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot. These tools are increasingly being used in professional settings, with half of online 8- to 17-year-olds also reporting usage, often for educational purposes.

However, the use of AI is largely confined to specific, task-oriented applications, primarily focused on enhancing efficiency and productivity. Common applications include drafting documents, refining writing style and serving as advanced search engines.

Using tech to improve our physical well-being

Technology is playing an increasingly prominent role in health, fitness, and wellbeing, with a substantial majority of adults (76%) utilizing the internet for related activities. These activities span a broad range, including relaxation (40%), researching health symptoms (35%), and accessing information on healthy eating and nutrition (28%).

Among teenagers, one in five (19%) now report following a fitness program online, marking an increase from 14% the previous year. This growth is particularly pronounced among younger teens, aged 13 to 15, where usage has risen from 11% to 19%.

Age isn’t an issue when spotting influencers and ads

Teenagers continue to demonstrate a strong ability to recognize paid influencer endorsements. When presented with an Instagram post featuring actress Sydney Sweeney holding a Samsung phone, 68% of 13- to 17-year-olds expressed confidence in their ability to identify online advertising and correctly identified the post as influencer marketing.

Conversely, older adults, particularly those over 65, exhibit a higher proficiency in recognizing advertising on search engines. In a test using a Google search, 59% of over-65s were able to identify sponsored links, compared to just 37% of 16-24 year olds.

Despite the increasing prevalence of online activity in people’s lives, the general ability of adults to identify online advertising has not shown any significant improvement over time.

Scams and fake profiles

The Ofcom research indicates that a large majority of adults (83%) are capable of taking protective measures when confronted with a mock-up of a scam email. However, this figure represents a slight decline from 86% in 2023.

Older adults (over 65) continue to demonstrate greater savvy in this area, with 92% responding appropriately to the scam email, compared to 70% of 25-34 year olds.

Younger adults, however, show greater aptitude in identifying fake social media profiles. When presented with a mock-up, 76% of social media users correctly identified it as not genuine. This ability was particularly pronounced among 16-24 year olds, with 86% correctly identifying the fake profile, compared to 73% of over-65s and 70% of 45-54s.

Children and smartphone use

The report highlights the increasing prevalence of mobile phone ownership among young children. One in five children aged 3-5 now own a mobile phone and this figure rises to nearly one in three (30%) for children aged 6-7. Social media use among 3-5 year olds has also seen a notable increase, climbing from 29% last year to 37%, driven by usage across various platforms.

The vast majority (94%) of 8-17 year olds who use the internet on their phones report having restrictions imposed on their usage, either at school or at home. Over half (56%) of this age group are prohibited from using their smartphones at all times while at school. Nine in ten (92%) 8-17 year olds report having received at least one lesson at school about online safety, with a higher proportion finding these lessons “very useful” compared to the previous year (45% vs. 39%).

Digital gender differences

The research reveals some variations in online activities between genders. A higher proportion of women than men report using social media apps or sites (92% vs. 89%) and sending messages or making calls (96% vs. 94%). Men, on the other hand, are more likely to upload, watch, or share live streaming content (69% vs. 61%).

The most popular online platforms for women are WhatsApp (85%), Facebook (81%), and Instagram (63%), while men favor YouTube (87%), X (35%), and LinkedIn (25%).

Digital divide continues for some, but they say they aren’t interested

A large majority (94%) of people have internet access at home. But among the remaining proportion who don’t, the majority say they’re not interested in having it. Eight in ten (80%) of those without home internet access state that they see no need to go online. However, nearly half of this group (just under 50%) have asked someone else to perform online tasks for them.

Among those who do use the internet, almost one in five (18%) rely exclusively on their smartphones for online access. While some individuals encounter challenges performing certain online tasks, such as completing forms, on their mobile devices compared to laptops or PCs, nearly three-quarters (75%) report that they never feel disadvantaged by this limitation.

For more details on what Ofcom found, take a look at the reports in full.

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