Do people in the UK feel they have a healthy relationship with technology? How are they managing screen time? We analyzed the latest Ofcom data to answer the questions about digital wellbeing in Britain.
Online/Offline Balance
Do People Feel They Have a Good Balance? (2025)
65% agree they have a good balance between online and offline life. 13% did not feel they had a good balance.
58% of 18-34 year olds agree they have good online/offline balance. 20% of 18-34 year olds actively disagreed, the highest of any age group.
Younger adults are more likely to feel their digital life is out of balance.
Sources: Ofcom Online Experiences Tracker 2025
Are Young People Struggling With Screen Time? (2024)
48% of social media-using 16-24 year olds thought they spent too much time on social media. Only 8% of social media users aged 65 and over felt the same.
28% of all social media users aged 16 and over thought they spent too much time on social media.
Sources: Ofcom Adults' Media Literacy Tracker 2024
Managing Screen Time
How Do People Manage Their Screen Time? (2025)
28% of adults disabled notifications or used do not disturb in the past year. 42% of 16-34 year olds used this strategy.
23% took a break from certain social media apps. 19% deleted apps due to spending too much time on them.
22% chose not to take phones or tablets to bed, rising to 28% among those aged 65 and over.
Sources: Ofcom Online Experiences Tracker 2025
Do Most People Have Strategies for Managing Online Time? (2024)
68% of adult users had strategies for managing their online time and wellbeing.
27% set aside time when they are not online. 26% disable notifications or use do not disturb. 21% chose not to take devices to bed.
Sources: Ofcom Adults' Media Literacy Survey 2024
Children's Screen Time
Are Children Concerned About Their Screen Time? (2024)
44% of 8-15 year olds were concerned about how much time they spent on at least one online service.
35% of 8-9 year olds were concerned. 46% of 10-12 year olds were concerned. 51% of 13-15 year olds were concerned, the highest of any child age group.
23% were concerned about time on video-sharing platforms. 23% were concerned about time on online games. 20% were concerned about time on social media.
Sources: Ofcom Screentime Poll 2024
Why Are Children Concerned About Screen Time? (2024)
49% of children cited mental health effects as their reason for concern about screen time. 46% cited physical health effects.
38% cited concerns about homework. 29% cited concerns about relationships with family.
Boys are more likely than girls to be concerned about gaming time, at 25% versus 20%. 23% of boys tried to reduce gaming time, compared to 16% of girls.
Sources: Ofcom Screentime Poll 2024
Do Children Succeed in Reducing Screen Time? (2024)
43% of children aged 8-15 tried to spend less time online. 15% of those who tried to reduce screen time said they had never been successful.
53% said they felt like they were missing out, the main reason for difficulty reducing. 35% wanted to stay connected with friends and family.
46% reported receiving notifications prompting them to log back in.
Sources: Ofcom Screentime Poll 2024
Screen Time and Harm
Does More Screen Time Mean More Exposure to Harm? (2024)
High volume users (23+ hours per week online) are 35% more likely to see upsetting content. Medium volume users (6-22 hours) are 29% likely. Low volume users (under 6 hours) are 24% likely.
More time online correlates with higher exposure to potentially harmful content.
Sources: Ofcom Online Experiences Tracker 2024
- [Ofcom Online Nations Report 2025](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/online-research/online-nation/2025/online-nations-report-2025.pdf)
- Ofcom Online Experiences Tracker 2025
- Ofcom Online Experiences Tracker 2024
- Ofcom Adults' Media Literacy Survey 2024
- Ofcom Adults' Media Literacy Tracker 2024
- Ofcom Screentime Poll 2024