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Children and Parents: Media

Use and Attitudes Report

Research Document
Publication date:

3 October 2013

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Contents
Section
Executive summary

Page
4

Introduction
Background

17

Research methodology and analysis

18

Childrens take-up of media

Household ownership of media devices

20
21

Mobile phone ownership

25

Tablet access, use and ownership

28

Childrens ownership of media devices

28

Devices in the childs bedroom

29

Childrens media use in the home

32

Regular media activities

39

Radio listening, by device

41

Internet use, by device

42

Device mostly used to go online at home

44

Where in the home the internet is accessed

46

Internet use in any location

48

Devices used to play games

49

Childrens use of media

Media consumption

51
52

Affinity with media activities

62

Cross-media multi-tasking

65

Types of activity carried out on a mobile phone

66

Breadth of internet activities carried out at home in a typical week

73

Individual internet activities carried out

76

Creative, social and civic activities undertaken online

81

Social networking activities

93

Use of a gaming device to go online

95

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Knowledge and understanding of media among 8-15s

Confidence in using the internet

98
99

Critical understanding of online content

102

Critical understanding of search engines

104

Awareness of, and attitudes towards, personalised advertising

106

Visiting new websites

107

Social networking profile settings

109

Attitudes towards sharing personal information online

110

The role of TV and the internet

112

Parents and childrens concerns and attitudes

Parents concerns about media

114
115

Parental concerns about television content

118

Parental concerns about pre-watershed television content

118

Parental attitudes towards the internet

122

Parental concerns about the internet

126

Parental concerns about mobile phones

133

Experience of receiving a higher than expected mobile phone bill in the last year

138

Parental concerns about gaming

139

Childrens dislikes about different media

142

Reporting online content that is nasty, worrying or offensive

145

Incidence of negative experiences on the internet or on mobile phones

147

Risky and safe online behaviour

152

Parents rules and controls

Parents rules about media

154
155

Summary of parental controls

157

Rules about television viewing

158

Technical controls on television

159

Experience of parents with controls installed on their television service

165

Parental rules for mobile phones

167

Parental controls for mobile phones

168

Rules about playing games

170

Rules about the internet

174

Rules about parental supervision of the internet

175

Parental controls on the internet

177

Reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook

178

Experience of parents with controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook used

182

Parental guidance about online safety

194

Overview of types of parental mediation for the internet

203

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 1

Executive summary
Our 2013 Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report provides detailed evidence
on media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 5-15.
For the first time it also provides detailed information about access to, and use of, media
among children aged 3-4.
Our report also includes findings relating to parents views about their childrens media use,
and the ways that parents seek or not to monitor or limit such use.
The report includes results from the following research studies and analysis, in the Annex:

Analysis of childrens television viewing habits sourced from BARB, the UKs television
measurement panel

comScore data on most-accessed websites by children aged 6-14 (2011, 2012, 2013)
and frequency of instant messaging among 13-17 year olds

The promotion of media literacy, and the carrying out of research, is a responsibility placed
on Ofcom by the Communications Act 2003. Our media literacy research informs three of
Ofcoms strategic purposes: to promote opportunities to participate; to protect consumers
from harm; and to contribute to and implement public policy as defined by Parliament.
Summary of key themes
This years report shows that:

There has been a decline in the number of 515s owning a mobile phone (43% vs. 49%
in 2012). This decline in mobile phone ownership is limited to mobile phones that are not
smartphones and is driven by a reduction in 8-11s owning a mobile phone that is not a
smartphone (15% vs. 28% in 2012). In contrast, smartphone ownership has remained
stable for 8-11s (18%) and 12-15s (62%).

This reduction in ownership of mobile phones that are not smartphones comes at the
same time as a sharp increase in the use of tablet computers at home, which has tripled
among 5-15s since 2012, and a decline in TVs, radios and games players in childrens
bedrooms.

Childrens preference for internet-enabled devices reflects changes in how they are
going online and what they are doing online. While the multi-functionality of tablets
appears to meet younger childrens entertainment needs particularly in relation to
watching audio-visual content and playing games - older childrens use of smartphones
tends to focus around peer communication. Smartphone users send an estimated 184
instant messages (IM) in a typical week and smartphones are the most popular device
for accessing social networking sites among 12-15 year olds.

For the first time there has been a decrease in the number of children with social
networking profiles, and there appears to be greater diversity in the types of social
networking sites being used. However, there has also been an increase in the number of
children who can potentially be contacted by people unknown to them via their social
networking profiles. Parental awareness of the minimum age requirement for Facebook
has increased among parents whose child has a profile on this site.

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

TV content continues to be both popular and valued by children, and they are accessing
TV content in more ways now, including via mobile phones and broadcasters websites.
Parents of 8-11s are less concerned now about TV content.

The majority of parents use a combination of mediation strategies to help keep their
children safe online, and over four in ten parents have parental controls installed and
nine in ten feel that their children are safer as a result.

Most parents of 5-15s say that they know enough to keep their child safe online, but
around half of parents continue to feel that their child knows more about the internet than
they do, as do 14% of parents of children aged 3-4. This may reflect the fast pace of
technological change and the ease with which younger children in particular can
embrace and explore new mobile technology and apps, and suggests that parents need
continuing support to build their own skills and confidence.

Girls are more likely than boys to feel under pressure to appear popular or attractive
online, and girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to say they have experienced
cyberbullying through a mobile phone and online. Ninety-five per cent of parents of 12-15
year old girls have talked to them about staying safe online.

Despite the vast majority of young people stating that they are confident internet users
and know how to stay safe online, there has been an increase in children with a social
networking site profile that may be visible to people not known to them. New technology
brings new opportunities and risks, and children may need help to assess potential risks
and unintended consequences of their media use, and to make informed decisions about
online activities and services.

Changes in childrens media consumption

Tablets are becoming the must-have device for children...
Around one quarter of children aged 12 15 (26%) and 18% aged 8-11 have their own tablet
computer, while household ownership of a tablet has more than doubled since 2012 (51%
vs. 20%). Use of a tablet computer at home has tripled among 5-15s since 2012 (42%
vs.14%) while one-quarter (28%) of 3-4s use a tablet computer at home.
...while older children opt for smartphones...
Ownership of mobile phones among children aged 5-15 has decreased to 43%. This is a
decline of 6 percentage points since 2012, driven by a 10 percentage point decline in
ownership for 8-11s (33% vs. 43%) and a 5 percentage point decline for 12-15s (82% vs.
87%). However, smartphone ownership has remained stable for 8-11s (18%) and 12-15s
(62%).
... and children are less likely to have other media devices in their bedrooms
The number of children aged 5-15 who have a television in their bedroom has fallen to 52%
(59% in 2012) and they are also less likely to have a radio in the bedroom (15% vs. 19%).
One in five 3-4s (22%) have a TV in their bedroom.
Similarly, children aged 5-15 are now less likely to have a games console/ player in their
bedroom (47% vs. 56%). This reflects a decline in the use of fixed and handheld games
players (81% vs. 86%) compared to a threefold increase among 5-15s in using tablet
computers to play games (23% vs. 7%).

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Around one in five 8-11s (17%) now say they use the internet mainly in their bedroom; this is
up from 12% from 2012.
Children are more likely to go online using a range of devices...
Children mostly accessing the internet via a laptop/ netbook/PC has decreased to 68% down from 85% in 2012. As a result, the number of children who are now mainly using an
alternative device to go online has doubled to 32%, from 15% in 2012, with tablets (13%)
and mobiles (11%) the most popular devices.
Almost a quarter of children are using tablets to go online nearly three times as many as
last year (23% vs. 9%). Over half of 12-15s use a mobile phone to go online at home (52%
vs. 44% in 2012).
...in particular, tablets are the online device of choice for younger children.
Younger children who go online at home, in particular, are five times more likely than in 2012
to mostly use a tablet computer (19% vs. 4% for 5-7s, 15% vs. 3% for 8-11s). One in eight 34 year-olds use a tablet computer to go online (12%).
Their choice of device reflects their online activities
Among 8-11s, schoolwork/ homework is the most commonly-mentioned internet activity
carried out at least weekly (75%), followed by games (54%) and information (45%).
Children aged 8-11 are now more likely to use the internet weekly for making/receiving
telephone or video calls using services like Skype or FaceTime 1 (10% vs. 5%) and for going
to photo-sharing websites such as Flickr, Instagram and Snapfish (5% vs. 2%). They are
less likely to use the internet at least weekly for avatar websites (27% vs. 36%) as are 5-7s
(21% vs. 33%). Games are the most commonly-mentioned online activity carried out at least
weekly by the majority of 3-4s (58%).
Older children are using their smartphones for a broad range of activities...
Among 12-15s, schoolwork/ homework is the most commonly-mentioned internet activity
(84%), followed by information (79%) social networking (68%) and watching audiovisual
content (68%). A majority of 12-15s also go online weekly for other communication (66%) for
games (54%) and for music (53%).
Compared to 2012, children aged 12-15 with a smartphone are now more likely to use their
phone at least weekly for four activities: looking at videos or clips posted by other people on
sites like YouTube (50% vs. 36%), sending/ receiving photos (38% vs. 30%), putting photos
or videos on sites like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram for others to see (33% vs. 17%) and
watching TV programmes or clips (23% vs. 16%).
Compared to 2012, 12-15s are sending more text messages in a typical week (255 vs. 193
texts) while smartphone users are sending an estimated 184 instant messages (IM) in a
typical week. This volume of instant messages is equivalent to the volume of text messages
sent by 12-15s in 2012.
...especially for social networking
Four in ten (41%) 12-15s with an active profile say they mostly use a mobile phone to visit
their main social networking site profile - which makes this the most popular device for
accessing their profiles.

Please refer to footnote 50.

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

For the first time fewer children have social networking profiles...
Compared to last year, 12-15s are now less likely to say they have set up a social
networking site profile (68% vs. 81%). There has also been a decrease since 2012 in the
proportion of children aged between 8-12 (under-age users) with an active profile on
Facebook/Bebo or MySpace (22%; down from 30% in 2012).
...but there is an increase in the variety of social networking sites being used
Nearly all 12-15s with an active social networking profile continue to use Facebook (97%).
Since 2012 they are less likely to have a profile on Bebo (4% vs. 8%) and more likely to
have a profile on Twitter (37% vs 25%). Boys are more likely than girls to have an active
profile on YouTube (31% vs. 21%) while girls are three times more likely to have a profile on
Tumblr (12% vs. 4%). As a proportion of all children (as distinct from those who use the
internet at home), 24% of all 12-15s have a profile on Twitter, compared to 62% of all 12-15s
with a Facebook profile.
There are also changes in the frequency of visits
12-15s are now less likely to go online weekly to visit social networking sites (67% vs. 75%)
and more likely to go online for instant messaging (55% vs. 45%). But the majority of 12-15s
(85%) access their main social networking site profile every day and one in five (20%) do so
more than ten times a day. This figure increases to 27% among those 8-15s who access
their profile mainly on any type of mobile phone.
Children are more likely to exceed their call allowance than their mobile data
allowance
Most children aged 5-15 with their own mobile phone use pay-as-you-go (61%), while half of
those with a smartphone (48%) use a monthly contract. One in five parents whose childs
mobile phone is on a monthly contract have received unexpectedly high bills in the past 12
months with 10% saying this is due to their child exceeding their call allowance, and 5%
saying it is due to their child exceeding their data allowance.
Children are accessing TV content in different ways...
In 2013, children are more likely to watch television programmes on devices other than a TV
set; over four in ten children aged 5-15 are using alternative devices to watch TV content.
This is a significant increase since 2012 (45% vs. 34%) and reflects the growth in tablets,
with 15% of 5-15s watching TV programmes on tablets.
A quarter of children aged 12-15 (25%) ever watch TV programmes using a mobile phone,
and three in ten 8-15s (29%) use on-demand services. One in three children aged 5-15
(34%) who go online at home are now watching television content via UK TV broadcasters
websites.
A quarter of 3-4s watch TV at home using an alternative device, and 20% use on-demand
services.
... and watching TV is still important...
Overall, children aged 5-15 spend more time watching television than using other media.
The majority of TV viewers and internet users aged 12-15 feel that these media help them
understand what is going on in the world, make them aware of different types of people and
opinions, and help them form their own opinions.
...even if children are now more likely to say they would miss other activities...
Television continues to be the medium that children aged 5-15 say they would miss the
most, of all the activities they undertake regularly. However, children aged 8-11 are more
likely than in 2012 to say they would miss using the internet (15% vs. 10%).

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children aged 12-15 are still twice as likely to say that, of all the media they use regularly,
they would most miss their mobile phone (39%), compared to the next most-missed media:
using the internet (19%) and watching television (19%). This rises to half (51%) of 12-15s
with a smartphone.
...and are also doing other things while watching TV
Thirty-six per cent of 8-15s with a mobile phone, who watch television and go online at
home, undertake any type of cross-media multi-tasking most times when they are using
these media. This is more likely for older children; 42% of 12 -15s say they do multi-tasking
most times.

Childrens online safety attitudes and behaviours

The majority of children are confident about their online activities...
Eighty-three per cent of 8-11 year olds and 91% of 12-15s say that they are confident about
how to stay safe online, and 67% of 12-15s say they are confident that they can judge
whether websites are truthful.
As context, a majority of 8-11s (61%) say they only visit websites theyve visited before,
compared to slightly less than half of 12-15s (49%). Among 12-15s, boys are more likely
than girls to say they visit lots of websites they havent visited before (13% vs. 5%).
...and there has been a decline in childrens dislikes about inappropriate content
The incidence of children disliking seeing things online that are too old for them, or things
that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed, has decreased since 2012 for both 811s (15% vs. 23%) and 12-15s (10% vs.15%).
But are children more confident than competent when using the internet?
There have been some decreases in childrens online safety skills. On average, 12-15s have
never met, in person, three in ten (on average, 78) of the friends listed on their main social
networking site profile. A substantial minority of 12-15s have a social networking profile
which may be visible to people not known to them, and this has increased since 2012 (33%
vs. 22%). Children with a social networking site profile that may be visible to people not
known to them are more likely to have undertaken some kind of potentially risky online
behaviour, such as adding people to their contacts they dont know in person, or sending
photos or personal details to people only known online.
Compared to 2012, children are less likely to know how to block messages from someone
they dont want to hear from (53% vs. 68%) and to have done this in the past year (32% vs.
42%).
However, more positively, compared to 2012, only a very small number of 8-15s now say
they would not tell someone if they found something online that was worrying, nasty or
offensive (1% vs. 3% for 8-11s, and 4% vs. 8% for 12-15s).
Although nearly half of 12-15s are unsure about online personalised advertising, they
are now less likely to think it is a bad thing
Close to half (48%) of 12-15s, after being provided with a description of online personalised
advertising, said they were aware of this practice, while 42% said that they were not aware
that websites could use their information in that way. A majority of 12-15s (53%) said they
were either unsure how they felt about it, or felt it was neither a good or a bad thing. Twentyone per cent said they thought it was a bad thing (down from 33% in 2012).

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Girls are more at risk of having negative experiences online

Almost one in ten 12-15s (8%) and 4% of 8-11s say they have experienced online bullying in
the past year. Close to half of all 12-15s know someone with experience of negative
online/mobile phone activity such as online bullying, gossip being spread or embarrassing
photos being shared. One in five say they have personal experience of negative
online/mobile phone activity.
Girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to say they know of someone who has been
bullied through a mobile phone (33% vs. 20%) and to say they have themselves experienced
bullying in this way (12% vs. 3%). Girls aged 12-15 are also more likely than boys to say
they feel under pressure to appear popular or attractive online (6% vs. 1%) and to have
experienced gossip being spread about them online or through texts (17% vs. 10%).

Parental concerns and mediation

Parents of 8-11s are now less concerned about TV content
One in five parents of 5-15s are concerned about the things their child has seen on
television, pre-watershed, and concerns about offensive language, sexually explicit content
and violence are most prevalent. However, parents of 8-11s are now more likely to say they
are not concerned about TV content (72% vs. 65% in 2012).
In 2013, parents of 5-15s are most likely to be concerned about television (21%) and mobile
content (19%), followed by online (16%) and gaming content (13%), with relatively few being
concerned about radio content (4%).
One in seven parents of 3-4s feel their child knows more about the internet than they
do
The majority of parents of 5-15s (79%) say that they know enough to keep their child safe
online, but around half of parents continue to feel that their child knows more about the
internet than they do, as do 14% of parents of children aged 3-4. Also, parents of 8-11s are
more likely to agree with this statement now than in 2012 (44% vs. 35%).
Cyberbullying and downloading viruses top the list of online concerns for parents
Around one in four (24%) parents of 5-15s who go online at home are concerned about
cyberbullying, while one in seven (14%) said they were concerned about their child
cyberbullying someone else.
Twenty-three per cent of parents are concerned about their children downloading viruses,
while 22% are concerned about their child giving personal details to inappropriate people,
which may belie the level of trust that parents have in their children to use the internet safely
(83%).
The majority of parents use some form of parental mediation to help keep their child
safe online
Although 83% of parents trust their child to use the internet safely, the majority of parents
(85%) also provide some kind of mediation to help keep their child safe online. Parents of 515s use a combination of approaches to mediate their childs internet use, including: having
regularly talked (at least monthly) to their children about staying safe online (45%), having
rules relating to parental supervision (53%) or using some kind of technical mediation (62%)
which includes 43% having installed parental controls.
Eighty-five per cent of parents of 5-15s whose child ever goes online at home through a PC/
laptop or netbook use at least one of these approaches, (20% use all three, 35% use two,

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

30% use only one). Fifteen per cent do none of the things asked about. Parents of 12-15s
are more likely to do none of these things (22%) compared to parents of 5-7s (11%) and 811s (9%). Less than one in ten parents of 3-4s (8%) use all three approaches, while close to
one in five (18%) do none of them.
Compared to 2012, parents of 12-15s are now more likely to say they have spoken to their
child about staying safe online (91% vs. 86%) and this has been driven by an increase
among parents of girls aged 12-15 (95% vs. 88%).
More than four in ten parents have parental controls installed and feel that their
children are safer as a result...
Forty-three per cent of parents of 5-15s (35% of parents of 12-15s) say they have some kind
of parental controls in place on the PC/ laptop/ netbook used by their child, as do 40% of
parents of 3-4s. A majority of parents of 5-15s with parental controls installed on the media
their child uses agree strongly that these controls are effective and that their child is safer as
a result (66% for online controls and 75% for TV controls).
...but setting access controls for multichannel television services has declined
Since 2012 there has been a decrease in the incidence of parents setting access controls for
television services in households with children aged 5-15 (45% vs. 50%). In 2013, parents of
boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls to have controls in place (46% vs.
34%) and 26% of parents of 12-15s say their child knows how to override these controls.
Almost one third of parents have the safety mode set for YouTube
Thirty-one per cent of parents whose child uses YouTube on a PC/ laptop/ netbook have the
safety mode set. Parents of 5-7s (38%) and 8-11s (37%) are more likely to have the safety
mode enabled, compared to parents of 12-15s (26%) although 80% of 12-15s visit YouTube
on a PC/ laptop/ netbook.
Parents are less likely to have parental controls installed on games consoles
Although, compared to 2012, parents of 8-11s are more likely to have controls on the fixed
games console (26% vs. 16%), this is still significantly lower than for other media. Four in ten
parents of 12-15s (40%) whose phone can be used to go online and close to half of parents
of 8-11s (47%) have applied filters to mobile phones to exclude websites aimed at over-18s.
One fifth of 12-15s know how to disable online filters
Around one in five 12-15s who go online at home or elsewhere (18%) say they know how to
disable online filters or controls, but considerably less (6%) say they have done this in the
past year. Similarly, three in ten (29%) say they know how to amend privacy mode settings
on a web browser, and one in eight claim to have done this (12%).
More parents are now aware of minimum age requirements
Among parents of children aged 12-15 with a profile on Facebook, 87% are aware that there
is a minimum age requirement, but only 37% are aware that the child needs to be 13 years
old. Parents of 5-15s in the ABC1 socio-economic group are more likely than parents in the
C2DE group to be aware of this.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Table of figures
Figure 1: Availability of key platforms in the home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
........................................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 2: Availability of key platforms in the home, by socio-economic group for children
aged 5-15: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013..................................................................... 22
Figure 3: Availability of key platforms in the home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
........................................................................................................................................... 24
Figure 4: Availability of key platforms in the home, by socio-economic group for children
aged 5-15: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013..................................................................... 24
Figure 5: Smartphone and non-smartphone ownership, by age: 2011, 2012 and 2013 ....... 26
Figure 6: Smartphone ownership, by age of child: 2013 ...................................................... 26
Figure 7: Mobile phone tariff for childs mobile phone, by age, gender of children aged 12-15
and socio-economic group of children aged 5-15 ................................................................ 27
Figure 8: Tablet access, use and ownership, by age of child: 2013 ..................................... 28
Figure 9: Media in childrens bedrooms, among 5-15s: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 . 30
Figure 10: Media in childrens bedrooms, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 ......... 31
Figure 11: Media used by children aged 5-15 at home: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 . 34
Figure 12: Media used by children aged 5-15 at home: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 . 34
Figure 13: Media used by children at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 ..... 35
Figure 14: Media used by children at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 ..... 35
Figure 15: Devices ever used by children aged 5-15 to watch television programmes at
home: 2012 and 2013 ......................................................................................................... 37
Figure 16: Devices ever used to watch television programmes at home, by age: 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 37
Figure 17: Use of on-demand television services, by age and socio-economic group: 2011,
2012 and 2013 .................................................................................................................... 38
Figure 18: Regular media activities undertaken, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 40
Figure 19: Regular media activities undertaken, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 40
Figure 20: Radio listening at home, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 ............................ 41
Figure 21: Devices ever used by children aged 5-15 to go online at home: 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 43
Figure 22: Devices ever used by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 43
Figure 23: Devices ever used by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 44
Figure 24: Devices used mostly by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 45
Figure 25: Devices used mostly by children to go online at home, by socio-economic group:
2011, 2012 and 2013 .......................................................................................................... 46
Figure 26: Who is with the child using the internet at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
and 2013 ............................................................................................................................. 47
Figure 27: Where the internet is used by children, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
........................................................................................................................................... 48
Figure 28: Devices used for gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 .......................... 50
Figure 29: Devices used for gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 .......................... 50
Figure 30: Estimated weekly hours of media consumption at home among users, by age:
2013.................................................................................................................................... 53
Figure 31: Estimated weekly hours of internet consumption, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
and 2013 ............................................................................................................................. 55
Figure 32: Weekly hours of game playing, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 .................. 56
Figure 33: Estimated weekly hours of radio consumption, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
and 2013 ............................................................................................................................. 57

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 34: Weekly calls made, text messages sent and instant messages sent by users, by
age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013............................................................................... 59
Figure 35: Weekly calls made, text messages sent and instant messages sent by users, by
gender within age: 2012 and 2013 ...................................................................................... 59
Figure 36: Weekly calls made and text messages sent by 12-15s with a smartphone and a
non-smartphone: 2012 and 2013 ........................................................................................ 60
Figure 37: Weekly calls made and text messages sent by 12-15s with a smartphone by tariff
type: 2013 ........................................................................................................................... 61
Figure 38: Media activity children aged 5-15 would miss the most: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
and 2013 ............................................................................................................................. 62
Figure 39: Media activity children would miss the most, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 63
Figure 40: Media activity children would miss the most, by gender within age: 2013 ........... 64
Figure 41: Media activity mobile phone users aged 12-15 would miss the most, by type of
mobile phone owned: 2013 ................................................................................................. 65
Figure 42: Incidence of multitasking while watching television, being online or using a
mobile phone, by age, gender and socio-economic group: 2012- 2013............................... 66
Figure 43: Top ten mobile phone activities ever carried out by owners, by age: 2013 ......... 68
Figure 44: Top ten mobile phone activities carried out at least once a week by owners, by
age: 2013 ............................................................................................................................ 69
Figure 45: Top ten mobile phone activities carried out at least once a week, by children aged
12-15 with a smartphone, and by children aged 12-15 with a non-smartphone: 2013 ......... 71
Figure 46: Frequency of using a mobile phone for instant messaging and for Skype/
FaceTime, by age: 2013 ..................................................................................................... 72
Figure 47: Types of use of the internet by users at least weekly, by age: 2013 ................... 75
Figure 48: Top ten internet activities carried out at least once a week, by age: 2013 .......... 77
Figure 49: Top ten internet activities ever carried out among 5-15s, by frequency of use:
2013.................................................................................................................................... 78
Figure 50: Top ten internet activities ever carried out, by age: 2013.................................... 78
Figure 51: Watching/ downloading activities ever carried out by users, by age: 2007, 2009,
2011, 2012 and 2013 .......................................................................................................... 79
Figure 52: Frequency of going online for instant messaging and for Skype/ FaceTime, by
age: 2013 ............................................................................................................................ 80
Figure 53: Experience of creative, social and civic online activities by children aged 8-11:
2009, 2011-2013 ................................................................................................................. 82
Figure 54: Experience of creative, social and civic online activities by children aged 12-15:
2009, 2011-2013 ................................................................................................................. 83
Figure 55: Incidence of children with an active social networking site profile, by age: 2009,
20112013 .......................................................................................................................... 85
Figure 56: Proportion of children who use the internet at home with an active social
networking site profile, by individual age: 2013 ................................................................... 85
Figure 57: Social networking websites where children aged 12-15 currently have an active
profile: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (of those with an active profile) .................................... 86
Figure 58: Awareness of minimum age requirements for having a profile on Facebook: 20122013.................................................................................................................................... 88
Figure 59: Parental checking of social networking site activity, by age: 2009, 2011-2013 ... 89
Figure 60: Devices ever, and mostly, used to visit main social networking site profile among
12-15s: 2013 ....................................................................................................................... 90
Figure 61: Frequency of visiting main social networking site profile: 2013 ........................... 91
Figure 62: Estimated number of friends across social networking sites used (excluding
Twitter): 2012 -2013 ............................................................................................................ 92
Figure 63: Types of use of social networking sites among 12-15s: 2013 ............................. 93
Figure 64: Types of use of social networking sites (excluding Twitter) among 12-15s: 2009,
2011-2013........................................................................................................................... 94
Figure 65: Online gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 .......................................... 95

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 66: Types of online game playing undertaken by children, by age: 2011, 2012 and
2013.................................................................................................................................... 96
Figure 67: Other uses of games consoles/ games players by children aged 8-15 who go
online through these gaming devices: 2013 ........................................................................ 97
Figure 68:8-11s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013 ........................................... 100
Figure 69:12-15s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013 ......................................... 100
Figure 70:12-15s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013 ......................................... 101
Figure 71: Childrens belief in the truthfulness in websites used for school/ homework and for
social networking, by age: 2011-2013 ............................................................................... 103
Figure 72: Childrens belief in the truthfulness in websites used for news and for information
purposes, by age: 2011-2013............................................................................................ 103
Figure 73: 12-15s understanding of results listed by search engines: 2009, 2011-2013 ... 105
Figure 74: Awareness of personalised advertising among 12-15s: 2012-2013 .................. 106
Figure 75: Attitudes to personal advertising among 12-15s aware of this type of advertising:
2012-2013......................................................................................................................... 107
Figure 76: 8-15s experience of visiting websites they havent visited before: 2011-2013.. 108
Figure 77: Checks made by 12-15s when visiting websites they havent visited before: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 109
Figure 78: Visibility of social networking site profiles, by age: 2011-2013 .......................... 110
Figure 79: Personal information that children aged 12-15 are willing to share online: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 111
Figure 80: Personal information that children aged 12-15 are willing to share online: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 112
Figure 81: Attitudes towards television and going online, among users aged 12-15:2013 . 113
Figure 82: Parental concerns about media content, among users of each medium, by age:
2013.................................................................................................................................. 116
Figure 83: Parental concerns about media content, among parents of 5-15s using each
media type: 2009, 2011-2013............................................................................................ 117
Figure 84: Parental concerns about television content, by age: 2009, 2011- 2013 ............ 118
Figure 85: Parental concerns about pre-watershed television content, by age: 2013 ........ 119
Figure 86: Types of concern about pre-watershed television content, by age: 2013.......... 120
Figure 87: Types of television programmes that concern parents whose child watches TV, by
age: 2013 .......................................................................................................................... 121
Figure 88: Parental agreement I trust my child to use the internet safely, by age: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 122
Figure 89: Parental agreement the benefits of the internet for my child outweigh any
risks, by age: 2011-2013 .................................................................................................. 123
Figure 90: Parental agreement my child knows more about the internet than I do, by age:
2011-2013......................................................................................................................... 124
Figure 91: Summary of parental agreement with attitudinal statements about the internet, by
age: 2013 .......................................................................................................................... 125
Figure 92: Parental concerns about online content, by age: 2011-2013 ............................ 126
Figure 93: Parental concerns about who their child may be in contact with online, by age:
2011-2013......................................................................................................................... 127
Figure 94: Parental concerns about their child giving out personal details online to
inappropriate people, by age: 2011-2013 .......................................................................... 128
Figure 95: Parental concerns about their child and cyber-bullying, by age: 2011-2013 ..... 129
Figure 96: Parental concerns about their child bullying others online, by age: 2012-2013 . 130
Figure 97: Parental concerns about their child and online sharing/ accessing of copyrighted
material, by age: 2011-2013.............................................................................................. 131
Figure 98: Parental concerns about their child downloading viruses, by age: 2011-2013 .. 131
Figure 99: Parental concerns about aspects of their childs internet use among 5-15s: 2013
......................................................................................................................................... 132
Figure 100: Parental concerns about mobile phone content and who their child is in contact
with via their mobile, by age: 2011-2013 ........................................................................... 133

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 101: Parental concerns about mobile phone content and who their child is in contact
with, among children aged 12-15 with a smartphone or a non-smartphone: 2013 ............. 134
Figure 102: Parental concerns about their child being bullied via calls/ texts/ emails to the
childs mobile phone, and the possibility of their child bullying others/ making negative
comments about other people via their mobile phone, by age: 2011-2013 ........................ 135
Figure 103 : Parental concerns about their child giving out personal details to inappropriate
people, by age: 2011-2013 ............................................................................................... 136
Figure 104: Parental concerns about their child downloading malicious or bogus apps or
sharing their location with other people, among smartphone users, by age: 2013 ............. 137
Figure 105: Experience of receiving an unexpectedly high bill among parents of 5-15s on a
post-pay mobile phone tariff: 2013 .................................................................................... 138
Figure 106: Parental concerns about gaming content, by age: 2011-2013 ........................ 139
Figure 107: Parental concerns about who their child is gaming with through the games
player, by age: 2011- 2013 ............................................................................................... 140
Figure 108: Parental concerns about the cost of in-game purchases, by age: 2013 .......... 141
Figure 109: Childrens dislikes about television, by age: 2011-2013.................................. 143
Figure 110: Childrens dislikes about the internet, by age: 2011-2013............................... 144
Figure 111: Childrens dislikes about the internet, by age: 2011-2013............................... 144
Figure 112: Reporting online content that is considered by the child to be worrying, nasty or
offensive, by age: 2011-2013 ............................................................................................ 146
Figure 113: Parents estimate, and childs claimed experience, of having seen any online
content in the last year that is considered worrying, nasty or offensive, by age: 2011-2013
......................................................................................................................................... 147
Figure 114: Experience of bullying through a mobile phone, by age and gender: 2013 ..... 149
Figure 115: Experience of being bullied online, by age and gender: 2013 ......................... 150
Figure 116: Experience of negative types of online/ mobile phone activity, among children
aged 12-15: 2013 .............................................................................................................. 151
Figure 117: Experience of potentially risky online behaviour among children aged 12-15:
2011-2013......................................................................................................................... 152
Figure 118: Experience of safe and risky online measures among children aged 12-15:
2013.................................................................................................................................. 153
Figure 119: Parental rules about use of media, by age: 2013............................................ 156
Figure 120: Summary of parental controls in place, by platform: 2013 .............................. 158
Figure 121: Parental rules for television, by age: 2013 ...................................................... 159
Figure 122: PIN or password controls set on television services, by age: 2007, 2009, 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 160
Figure 123: Types of access controls in place among parents with controls set on their
television service, by age: 2011 2013 ............................................................................ 161
Figure 124: Types of access controls in place among parents with controls set on their
television service, by age: 2011 - 2013 ............................................................................. 162
Figure 125: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, among
parents of 5-15s: 2011-2013 ............................................................................................. 163
Figure 126: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, by age: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 164
Figure 127: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, by age: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 164
Figure 128: Parental agreement about controls on television service - I am confident that
the controls that we have are effective by age and socio-economic group: 2013 ............. 165
Figure 129: Parental agreement about controls on television service I feel that my child is
safer as a result, by age and socio-economic group: 2013 .............................................. 166
Figure 130: Parental rules for mobile phones, by age: 2013.............................................. 168
Figure 131: Use of filters for mobile phone content among parents of 12-15s: 2011-2013 169
Figure 132: Parental rules for gaming, by age: 2013 ......................................................... 171
Figure 133: Use of parental controls on games consoles, by age: 2011-2013 ................... 172

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 134: Reasons for not having parental controls on the handheld/ portable games
console among parents of 5-15s: 20112013 ................................................................... 173
Figure 135: Reasons for not having parental controls on the fixed games console among
parents of 5-15s: 20112013 ............................................................................................ 173
Figure 136: Parental rules for the internet, by age: 2013 ................................................... 175
Figure 137: Internet rules and restrictions relating to parental supervision, by age: 2013 .. 176
Figure 138: Types of parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook the child uses at
home, by age: 2012-2013 ................................................................................................. 177
Figure 139: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/
netbook that the child (5-15) uses at home: 2011-2013..................................................... 179
Figure 140: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/
netbook that the child uses at home, by age: 2011-2013 .................................................. 180
Figure 141: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/
netbook that the child uses at home, by age: 2011-2013 .................................................. 181
Figure 142: Reasons for installing parental controls on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child
uses at home, by age: 2012-2013 ..................................................................................... 182
Figure 143: Parental agreement about online controls I am confident that the parental
controls we have in place are effective, by age: 2012-2013 ............................................. 183
Figure 144: Parental agreement about online controls I feel that my child is safer as a
result of the controls we have, by age, 2012-2013 ........................................................... 184
Figure 145:Parental agreement about online controls The parental controls get in the way
of what I or other family members want to access online, by age, 2012-2013 .................. 185
Figure 146: Parental agreement about online controls I am concerned that the controls we
have invade my childs privacy, by age, 2012-2013 ......................................................... 186
Figure 147: Summary of attitudes toward parental controls among parents of 5-15s, online
and television: 2013 .......................................................................................................... 187
Figure 148: Summary of attitudes towards parental controls among parents of 5-15s, by
platform: 2013 ................................................................................................................... 188
Figure 149: Online security measures in place, among parents of 5-15s: 2011-2013 ........ 189
Figure 150: Online security measures in place, by age: 2011-2013 .................................. 189
Figure 151: Use of safety mode on the YouTube website, by age: 2011-2013 .................. 190
Figure 152: Watching television programmes and films online, among 5-15s: 2009, 2011
2013.................................................................................................................................. 191
Figure 153: Watching television programmes and films online, by age: 2009, 2011 - 2013192
Figure 154: Awareness and use of PIN controls on broadcasters websites, by age: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 193
Figure 155: Use of software to protect against junk email or computer viruses, by age: 20112013.................................................................................................................................. 194
Figure 156: Parents who have spoken to their child about staying safe online, by age and
gender: 2013 ..................................................................................................................... 195
Figure 157: Frequency of speaking to child about staying safe online, by age: 2012-2013 196
Figure 158: Frequency of speaking to child about staying safe online, by gender and socioeconomic group: 2012-2013.............................................................................................. 197
Figure 159: Reasons for not having spoken to child about staying safe online, by age: 2013
......................................................................................................................................... 198
Figure 160: Parents who feel they know enough about how to help their child to stay safe
online, by age: 2012-2013 ................................................................................................. 199
Figure 161: Parents stating they have looked for or received any information or advice about
how to help their child to stay safe online, by age: 2013.................................................... 200
Figure 162: Parents stating they have looked for or received any information or advice about
how to help their child to stay safe online, by age: 2013.................................................... 201
Figure 163: Children stating they have been given any information or advice about staying
safe online, among 8-15s: 2011 - 2013 ............................................................................. 202
Figure 164: Children stating they have been given any information or advice about staying
safe online, by age: 2011 - 2013 ....................................................................................... 202

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 165: Types of technical methods of mediation in place in households where a child
aged 5-15 uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online: 2012-2013 ........................................ 203
Figure 166: Types of technical methods of mediation in place in households where a child
uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online, by age: 2012- 2013............................................ 204
Figure 167: Combinations of online mediation strategies used by parents of 5-15s where a
child uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home, by age: 2013................................ 205

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 2

Introduction
Background
The promotion of media literacy is a responsibility placed on Ofcom by Section 11 of the
Communications Act 2003. Under Section 14 (6a) of the Act we have a duty to make
arrangements for the carrying out of research into the matters mentioned in Section 11 (1).
Our media literacy research informs three of Ofcoms strategic purposes: to promote
opportunities to participate; to protect consumers from harm; and to contribute to and
implement public policy as defined by Parliament.
Media literacy enables people to have the skills, knowledge and understanding they need to
make full use of the opportunities presented both by traditional and by new communications
services. Media literacy also helps people to manage content and communications, and
protect themselves and their families from the potential risks associated with using these
services.
Ofcoms definition of media literacy is:
the ability to use, understand and create media and communications in a variety of
contexts.
This report is designed to give an accessible overview of media literacy among children and
young people 2 aged 5-15 and their parents/carers 3, as well as an overview of media use by
children aged 3-4. It is based mainly on survey research conducted in spring 2012. Where
possible, within the sample of children aged 5-15 and their parents, demographic analysis is
conducted by age (of the child interviewed), by gender and by household socio-economic
group.
The key objectives of this research are:

to provide a rich picture of the different elements of media literacy across the key
platforms: the internet, television, radio, games, and mobile phones;

to identify emerging issues and skills gaps that help to target stakeholders resources for
the promotion of media literacy; and

to provide data about childrens internet habits/opinions and parents strategies to protect
their children online, to inform the work of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety
(UKCCIS), which brings together over 180 organisations to help keep children and young
people safe online; and other stakeholder organisations such as Get Safe Online.

2
3

References to children in this report are used to refer to children and young people.
References to parents in this report are used to refer to parents and carers.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Research methodology and analysis

This report provides an update to the Childrens Media Literacy Audits published in 2006,
2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 4. It draws on the following surveys:

Media Literacy Tracker with children and parents: a quantitative tracking survey
conducted in 2009, 2010 5, 2011, 2012 and 2013. In April/May/June 2013, 1,689 in-home
interviews with parents and children aged 5-15 were conducted, along with 685 interviews
with parents of children aged 3-4. In March 2012, 1,717 in-home interviews were conducted
with parents and children aged 5-15, with 1,717 in-home interviews conducted in March/April
2011. In April/May and September/October 2010, 2,071 in-home interviews with parents and
children aged 5-15 were conducted. In April/May and September/October 2009, 2,131 inhome interviews with children aged 5-15 and their parents/carers were conducted.
Young Peoples Media Usage survey: a quantitative tracking survey, conducted in 2007
and 2008, which was devised to provide Ofcom with continued understanding of childrens
behaviour in the UK communications markets. During 2007, 3,696 interviews with parents
and children aged 5-15 were conducted, and 2,066 interviews with parents and children
aged 5-15 were conducted during 2008. All interviewing was done in the home.
Media Literacy Audit: a quantitative survey that involved 1,536 in-home interviews with
parents and children aged 8-15 from June to August 2005, and 2,068 in-home interviews
among the same demographic between October and December 2007.
In some instances, we make comparisons between this research, the Media Literacy Tracker
in 2009 and either the Young Peoples Media Usage survey, conducted in 2007 and 2008, or
the Media Literacy Audits conducted in 2005 and 2007.
Significance testing at the 95% confidence level was carried out. This means that where
findings are commented on in the report, there is only a 5% or less probability that the
difference between the samples is by chance 6. Statistically significant findings are indicated
in the figures in the report by circles or arrows.
Where possible, findings are shown for 5-15s as well as for the specific age groups (5-7, 811 and 12-15). However, some questions in earlier surveys, and some questions in the
current survey, were not asked of all age groups.
Interviews conducted with parents of 3-4 year old children
As detailed above, in 2013 the Media Literacy Tracker was also conducted with parents of
children aged 3-4, with a total of 685 interviews conducted in-home in April/May/June 2013.
Findings have been shown for 3-4s wherever possible, with comparisons made between the
findings for children aged 3-4 and the older children interviewed for this survey.
While a small number of interviews (190) were conducted with parents of 3-4s in 2012, these
data were not weighted, due to the relatively low base size, and were treated as indicative
4

www.ofcom.org.uk/medialiteracyresearch
Findings from the 2010 Media Literacy Tracker have been removed from the Figures within this
report to reduce overcrowding.
6
If a finding is not statistically significant it may be referenced in the report as being unchanged or
that it does not differ when compared to another measure (i.e. when comparing, for example, boys
aged 12-15 to girls aged 12-15). In some instances, the two percentages compared could differ by as
much as fifteen percentage points, but due to low base sizes for one (or both) of these groups the
difference is not registering as statistically significant.
5

18

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

only. As a result we do not make comparisons here with the data from 2012 for children
aged 3-4.
The report also includes results from the following research studies and analysis:
BARB analysis: analysis of childrens television viewing habits, sourced from BARB, the
UKs television measurement panel, included in Annex 1. Findings are provided for children
aged 4-15 as well as the subgroups aged 4-9 and 10-15.
comScore: findings from comScore 7 relating to the top 50 web entities visited by children
aged 6-14 are included in Annex 1, as well as the frequency of instant messaging (IM) for
13-17 year olds and the most popular brands used by this age group for IM.

comScores Unified Digital Measurement methodology combines panel and census measurement
techniques in its approach to digital audience measurement. This method uses the comScore global
measurement panel to determine audience reach and demographics. In addition to directly measured
census-level activity at publishers digital content assets (i.e. websites, videos, apps), which
accurately accounts for total media consumption, these data sets are unified into a more accurate
view of audiences and their activity in a manner that is not affected by variables such as cookie
deletion, blocking, and rejection.

19

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 3

Childrens take-up of media

This section looks at childrens take-up of media devices. It documents the access children
have to devices, and the personal use that they make of such devices. It includes an
examination of whether such media devices are located in the childs bedroom. Where
possible, findings have been shown for children aged 3-4.
Key findings

For the second consecutive time since this survey began in 2005, childrens access to
the internet at home has not increased, and nor has the proportion of children aged 5-15
who use the internet at home.

PC/laptop/netbook internet use at home ranges from 29% of 3-4s, to 62% of 5-7s, 83%
of 8-11s, and 92% of 12-15s, with no change since 2012 for 5-15s (81%).

However, childrens access to a tablet computer at home has more than doubled since
2012: from 20% of households with a 5-15 year old to 51% in 2013. Half of 3-4s (51%)
have access to a tablet computer at home.

Use of a tablet computer at home has tripled among 5-15s since 2012 (42% vs.14%)
while one-quarter (28%) of 3-4s use a tablet computer at home.

Compared to 2012, children aged 5-15 are twice as likely to go online at home using a
tablet computer. One in eight 3-4s go online at home using a tablet computer (12%).

One in 20 (4%) go online only through another device, with no difference by age group.
While a majority of children in each age group from 5-15 still say they mostly use a PC/
laptop/ netbook to go online at home, fewer children say this in 2013 (68% vs. 85%).
Since 2012, more children say they mostly use a tablet computer (13% vs. 3%) or a
mobile phone (11% vs. 6%) to go online at home.

Smartphone ownership among children has stabilised in 2013 (18% of 8-11s, 62% of 1215s), but overall ownership of a mobile phone has declined (33% vs. 43% for 8-11s and
82% vs. 87% for 12-15s) due to a decline in ownership of non-smartphones. Use of a
mobile phone to go online at home has increased among children aged 8-11 (18% vs.
12%) and 12-15 (52% vs. 44%).

Seven per cent of 5-15s do not use the internet at all, in any location, unchanged since
2012 and with no difference across socio-economic groups. One-third of 3-4s (33%) use
the internet at home and 60% do not use the internet at all.

Half of children aged 5-15 (52%, down from 59% in 2012) have a television in their
bedroom, as do one in five (22%) children aged 3-4.

Over four in ten children aged 5-15 (45%) ever watch television programmes at home
using a device other than a TV set; most commonly through a PC, laptop or netbook
(32%). Among 3-4 year-olds one-quarter (25%) ever watch television programmes at
home using a device other than a TV set.

Most children use gaming devices; most commonly, games consoles connected to a TV
or handheld games players. Use of fixed and handheld games players has decreased
since 2012, although use of tablet computers to play games has increased threefold
among 5-15s (23% vs. 7%). Most 3-4 year olds (57%) play games at home using a
media device.

20

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Household ownership of media devices

Home access to a tablet computer has more than doubled since 2012
This initial section looks at whether children have access to specific devices within the home,
with subsequent sections moving on to address childrens actual use of these devices. This
enables us to look at ownership of platforms 8/ devices within the home, and see how this
translates into use of these devices.
Figure 1 and Figure 2 below show the results for home access to the internet through a PC,
laptop or netbook 9, and home ownership of tablet computers 10 and games consoles 11.
Nine in ten children aged 5-15 (91%) live in a household with access to the internet through
a PC, laptop or netbook 12, unchanged since 2012. For the second year running, access to
the internet at home through a PC, laptop or netbook has not increased for any particular
age group or socio-economic group. Home internet access for children in DE households
continues to be lower than the levels across all other socio-economic groups (83%). As in
2012, internet access at home in AB and C1 households is close to universal (99% and 95%
respectively).
Half of children aged 5-15 (51%) have a tablet computer in the home, with no variation in
household ownership by the age of the child. Access to a tablet computer in the home has
more than doubled since 2012 (from 20%), with this increase seen for all age groups of
children and for all socio-economic groups. Those in AB households are more likely than all
children to have access to tablet computers (66% vs. 51%) while those in DE households
are less likely (41% vs. 51%).
Close to nine in ten children (87%) live in a household with a fixed or portable games
console, a decrease since 2012 (from 90%); this is the first time that household games
console ownership has declined in this survey. The decrease in household ownership is
evident for 5-7s (78% vs. 86%) and DE households (84% vs. 90%). Within this overall figure,
the decline since 2012 is evident for ownership of a handheld/ portable games player (68%
vs. 75%) rather than for a games console connected to a TV set. Boys aged 5-15 remain
more likely than girls to live in households with a games console, and this is evident among
5-7s (84% boys vs. 73% girls), 8-11s (94% vs. 87%) and 12-15s (93% boys vs. 86% girls).
No particular socio-economic group is more or less likely to have a fixed or portable games
console.
Eight in ten children aged 3-4 (83%) live in a household with access to the internet through a
PC, laptop or netbook, half of children aged 3-4 (51%) live in a household with a tablet
computer in the home, and two in three children aged 3-4 (66%) live in a household with a
games console in the home.
While households with a child aged 3-4 are as likely as households with a child aged 5-15 to
own a tablet computer, home access to the internet through a PC, laptop or netbook and
ownership of a games console is lower among households with a 3-4 year old.
8

Digital switchover was complete at the time of interviewing, and 99% of households with children
aged 3-4 or 5-15 have a TV in the household. We have therefore not reported on the availability of
digital TV in the home.
9
Before 2010, parents were only asked about access to the internet through a PC/ laptop, with
netbooks being added to this definition since 2010.
10
Tablet computers have been included in the study since 2010.
11
Either those that are connected to a television or handheld/ portable games players.
12
Before 2010, parents were only asked about access to the internet through a PC/ laptop, with
netbooks being added to this definition since 2010.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 1: Availability of key platforms in the home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013
2007

2009

2011

2012

Internet (PC/ laptop/

netbook based)

2013

Tablet PC

Aged 3-4

Games console/ player

51

83

66
84
89
91
90
87

75
82

Aged 5-15

91
91
91

7
20
51
74

68
78

Aged 5-7

87
87
88

84
84
86
78

5
22
53

87
93
94
93
91

71
81

90
90
91

Aged 8-11

19
54

88
89
93
91
89

77
85
95
96
94

Aged 12-15

7
22
48

QP3/C/E/H/I Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use
(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in
2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013, 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11 in
2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged
12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) - signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 2: Availability of key platforms in the home, by socio-economic group for

children aged 5-15: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
2007

2009

2011

2012

Internet (PC/ laptop/

netbook based)

2013

Tablet PC

Games console/ player

84
89
91
90
87

75
82
91
91
91

Aged 5-15

7
20
51

82

91
93
98
98
99

AB

11
38
66

84

82
90
96
97
95

C1

6
24
54

72
85
91
94
91

C2

7
17
50

53
67

DE

80
81
83

93
92
89
85

5
8
41

91
91
90
89
87
89
94
92
89
82
84
88
90
84

QP3/C/E/H/I Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use
(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in
2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013, 697 AB in 2007, 374 AB in 2009, 386 AB in 2011, 327 AB in 2012, 343 AB in 2013, 949 C1 in 2007, 507 C1 in 2009, 493 C1 in
2011, 433 C1 in 2012, 473 C1 in 2013, 844 C2 in 2007, 472 C2 in 2009, 332 C2 in 2011, 363 C2 in 2012, 338 C2 in 2013, 1147 DE in 2007, 751 DE in 2009, 506
DE in 2011, 594 DE in 2012 535 DE in 2013) - significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

22

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 3 and Figure 4 below show results for digital video recorder (DVR 13), radio and smart
TV14 ownership in the home.
Three in four children aged 5-15 (75%) now have a DVR at home, as in 2012. For the first
time in this survey, access to a DVR in the home has not increased for any particular age
group or socio-economic group. Ownership of a DVR in C1 households has decreased since
2012 (79% vs. 85%). Children in AB households are more likely to have access to a DVR
compared to all children aged 5-15 (82% vs. 75%), while children in DE households continue
to be less likely (61% vs. 75%).
Three in four children aged 5-15 (77%) have access to a radio set (either DAB or AM/FM)
within the home, a decrease since 2012 (from 83%). While access has not changed since
2012 for children aged 12-15 and those in C2 households, every other age group and socioeconomic group has seen a decline in home ownership of a radio set. Children in AB
households continue to be more likely to have access to a radio set, compared to all children
aged 5-15 (83% vs. 77%), while children in DE households continue to be less likely (69%
vs. 77%).
One in eight (13%) children aged 5-15 children have access to a smart TV at home, an
increase since 2012 (from 10%). This increase among all households with a child aged 5-15
is evident only in AB households (24% vs. 15%). Children in DE households remain less
likely to have access to a smart TV, compared to all children aged 5-15 (9% vs. 13%), while
those in AB households remain more likely (24% vs. 13%).
Three-quarters of children aged 3-4 (76%) live in a household with a DVR and the same
proportion (76%) have a radio set (either DAB or AM/FM) in the home. One in seven (15%)
households with a child aged 3-4 have a smart TV in the home. Home access to each of
these devices, for children aged 3-4, is similar to that in households with children aged 5-15.

13

In 2011 the question used to establish household access to a digital video recorder was amended to
reflect a shorter definition of DVR functionality. The question was also streamlined to reflect the way
in which access/ use/ ownership of all key media in the study is established and, as such, was moved
forward in the questionnaire.
14
Smart TVs have been included in the study since 2012. Defined as new types of TV that are
connected to the internet and can stream video directly onto your television screen, without the need
for a computer, set-top box or games console.

23

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 3: Availability of key platforms in the home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013
2007

2009

2011

2012

DVR*

2013

Radio set (DAB or AM/FM)

Smart TV

Aged 3-4
76

77
75

87
88
84
83
77

21
39

Aged 5-15

66

86
86
81
82
75

19
36

Aged 5-7

15

76

65
77
73
23

88
89
87
85

36

Aged 8-11

65
74
75

77

22

90
90
84
83
79

43

Aged 12-15

68
80
75

10
13

9
12

11
15

9
13

QP3B/J/ QP10 Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use
(prompted responses, single coded) NB *Question wording changed in 2010 and 2011 f or DVR/ Are any of your TV sets 'Smart TVs'? These are new types of
TV that are connected to the internet and can stream video directly onto your television screen, without the need f or a computer, set-top box or games console.
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013,3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in
2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013, 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11 in
2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged
12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) - signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 4: Availability of key platforms in the home, by socio-economic group for

children aged 5-15: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
2007

2009

2011

2012

DVR*
Aged 5-15

2013

Radio set (DAB or AM/FM)

87
88
84
83
77

21
39
66
77
75

44
71
87
82

90
87
86
87
80

47
70
85
79
22

89
89
86
82
77

39
76
78
81

C2

16

DE

15
24

83

23

C1

10
13

90
92
90
91

28

AB

Smart TV

9
10

10
13

85
87

28
52
63
61

78
76
69

6
9

QP3B/J/ QP10 Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not use
(prompted responses, single coded) NB *Question wording changed in 2010 and 2011 f or DVR/ Are any of your TV sets 'Smart TVs'? These are new types of
TV that are connected to the internet and can stream video directly onto your television screen, without the need f or a computer, set-top box or games console.
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 (3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013,
697 AB in 2007, 374 AB in 2009, 386 AB in 2011, 327 AB in 2012, 343 AB in 2013, 949 C1 in 2007, 507 C1 in 2009, 493 C1 in 2011, 433 C1 in 2012, 473 C1 in
2013, 844 C2 in 2007, 472 C2 in 2009, 332 C2 in 2011, 363 C2 in 2012, 338 C2 in 2013, 1147 DE in 2007, 751 DE in 2009, 506 DE in 2011, 594 DE in 2012 535 DE
in 2013) - signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

24

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Mobile phone ownership

While smartphone ownership is stable, children are now less likely to own
other types of mobile phone
Figure 5 below shows that four in ten children aged 5-15 (43%) have a mobile phone of
some kind and three in ten (29%) children aged 5-15 have a smartphone 15. The likelihood of
owning a smartphone increases with the age of the child, at just 1% of 5-7s, around two in
ten 8-11s (18%) and six in ten 12-15s (62%).
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of smartphone ownership for
any age group, any gender within each age group, or any socio-economic group for children
aged 5-15.
Children are, however, less likely to be mobile phone owners since 2012 (43% vs. 49%) due
to a decline in ownership of non-smartphones (13% vs. 21%). This overall decline in mobile
phone ownership is most evident for 8-11s (33% vs. 43%) but also applies to 12-15s (82%
vs. 87%). This continues the decline in ownership of non-smartphones, that was also evident
in 2012 (at 21% vs. 31% in 2011).
The decline in ownership of non-smartphones can be contrasted with the increase in
ownership of tablet computers among children (19% vs. 5% in 2012).
In 2013 overall ownership of any type of mobile phone does not differ by gender or socioeconomic group. However, compared to 2012, both boys and girls aged 8-11 are less likely
to own a mobile phone (30% vs. 42% for boys and 36% vs. 43% for girls) with this being
attributable to a decline in ownership of non-smartphones. Children aged 5-15 in C1
households are also less likely to own a mobile phone now than in 2012 (43% vs. 53%).
Just 1% of children aged 3-4 have their own mobile phone and none have their own
smartphone.
Figure 6 below shows how ownership of a mobile phone increases from age 3 to age 15:
from 0% to 89%. Levels of ownership of a smartphone are very low among those aged 5 to 8
and start to rise from age 9. Children aged 5 to 10 are more likely to own a non-smartphones
than smartphones, but from age 11 onwards smartphone ownership outstrips ownership of
non-smartphones. The start of smartphone dominance appears to have shifted: in 2012
smartphones overtook other mobile phones at age 12.

15

The question (to parents) established smartphone ownership in the following way: You mentioned
that your child has their own mobile phone. Is this a Smartphone? A smartphone is a phone on which
you can easily access emails, download apps/ applications and other files, as well as view websites
and generally surf the internet/ go online. Popular brands of smartphone include iPhone, BlackBerry,
Nokia Lumia and Android phones such as HTC or Samsung Galaxy.

25

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 5: Smartphone and non-smartphone ownership, by age: 2011, 2012 and 2013
Total mobile phone
ownership

Child has a smartphone

Child has a non-smartphone

87

87

82

25

20

62

62

2012

2013

46
52

49

48
43

43

31

21

33

13
36

28

15
41

2013

20
2011

Aged
3-4

29

28

2012

2013

8
5

5
4

12

15

18

2011

2012

2013

2011

2012

2013

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

2011

Aged 12-15

QP3F/ QP4 - Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use (prompted responses, single coded)/ You mentioned that your child has their own mobile phone. Is this a Smartphone? A Smartphone is a phone on
which you can easily access emails, download f iles as well as view websites and generally surf the internet. Popular brands of Smartphone include iPhone,
BlackBerry, Nokia Lumia and Android phones such as HTC or Samsung Galaxy. (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013, 573 aged 5-7 in
2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, ,558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572
aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) - signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 6: Smartphone ownership, by age of child: 2013

100%
Smartphone dominance
over non-smartphones

Any mobile

80%
Rise in smartphone
ownership

60%
Smartphone

40%
Non-smartphone

20%
0%
Age 3

Age 4

Age 5

Age 6

Age 7

Age 8

Age 9

Age 10 Age 11 Age 12 Age 13 Age 14 Age 15

QP3F/ QP4 - Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use (prompted responses, single coded)/ You mentioned that your child has their own mobile phone. Is this a Smartphone? A Smartphone is a phone on
which you can easily access emails, download f iles as well as view websites and generally surf the internet. Popular brands of Smartphone include
iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia Lumia and Android phones such as HTC or Samsung Galaxy. (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (393 aged 3, 292 aged 4, 231 aged 5, 139 aged 6, 163 aged 7, 199 aged 8, 132 aged 9, 141 aged 10, 115
aged 11, 193 aged 12, 102 aged 13, 112 aged 14, 162 aged 15)
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

26

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Most mobile phones owned by children are on pay-as-you-go, but half of those
with a smartphone have a contract
Figure 7 shows the mobile package used for the mobile phones owned by children: whether
pay-as-you-go or with a monthly contract. While most children aged 5-15 with their own
mobile phone use pay-as-you-go (61%), half of those with a smartphone (48%) use a
monthly contract. Those in DE households are less likely than all mobile phone owners to
use a contract; whether across all mobile phones (24% vs. 37%) or among those with a
smartphone (31% vs. 48%).
Figure 7: Mobile phone tariff for childs mobile phone, by age, gender of children aged
12-15 and socio-economic group of children aged 5-15

%
2

37

3
Don't know

24

30
41

36

37
46

47

47

46

49
Other

61

Postpay/
Contract

73

68
57

62

62
53

52

52

49

50
Prepay/ PAYG

Aged
5-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Boys
12-15

Girls
12-15

AB

C1

C2

DE

Aged
Aged
8-11
12-15
with a smartphone

QP73 Which of these best describes the mobile package your child uses most of ten? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children with a mobile phone (674 aged 5-15, 188 aged 8-11, 467 aged 12-15, 223 boys aged 12-15, 244 girls aged 12-15 , 122 AB, 196 C1, 146
C2, 210 DE, 99 aged 8-11 with a smartphone, 356 aged 12-15 with a smartphone) signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between boys and girls aged 12-15
and by socio economic group compared to all children aged 5-15,
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

27

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Tablet access, use and ownership

Around a quarter of children aged 12 to 15 have their own tablet computer
Figure 8 below shows home access, use by the child and ownership of a tablet computer
among children from 3 to 15 years old. As shown earlier in Figures 1 and 2, home ownership
of a tablet computer is at a relatively similar level across the different age groups for the
children, at 51% on average. Apart from the very youngest children (aged 3), most children
in a tablet-owning household are users of that device; with an increase in the likelihood of
the child being a user of the tablet computer from age 6 onwards.
Three per cent of children aged 3-4 have their own tablet computer. This ownership figure
increases to one in eight 5-7s (13%), around one in five 8-11s (18%) and one in four 12-15s
(26%).
Figure 8: Tablet access, use and ownership, by age of child: 2013
100%

80%

Household
owns a a
tablet

60%

Child uses
a tablet

40%

Child owns
a tablet

20%

0%
Age 3

Age 4

Age 5

Age 6

Age 7

Age 8

Age 9

Age 10 Age 11 Age 12 Age 13 Age 14 Age 15

QP3F/ QP4 - Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use (prompted responses, single coded)/ You mentioned that your child has their own mobile phone. Is this a Smartphone? A Smartphone is a phone on
which you can easily access emails, download f iles as well as view websites and generally surf the internet. Popular brands of Smartphone include
BlackBerry, iPhone and HTC (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (393 aged 3, 292 aged 4, 231 aged 5, 139 aged 6, 163 aged 7, 199 aged 8, 132 aged 9, 141 aged 10, 115
aged 11, 193 aged 12, 102 aged 13, 112 aged 14, 162 aged 15)
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Childrens ownership of media devices

Most children aged 8-15 have three or more media devices of their own
Parents of children aged 3-4 and 5-15 were asked about a total of 13 media devices. 16
Figures 1 to 5 earlier in this report show household ownership of eight key devices.
Focusing now on the extent to which devices are owned by the child rather than more
generally by the household, four in ten children aged 3-4 (41%) own any of the 13 media
devices, compared to six in ten aged 5-7 (63%), eight in ten aged 8-11 (84%) and close to all
16

These devices were television, digital video recorder (DVR), PC/ laptop/ netbook with internet
access, PC/ laptop/ netbook without internet access, tablet computer, mobile phone, portable media
player, games console connected to a television, handheld/ portable games player, radio, DVD/ Bluray player/ recorder, e-book reader and educational games system (such as V Tech).

28

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

12-15s (95%). Most children aged 8-11 (55%) and 12-15 (72%) have three or more devices
of their own.
The average number of devices owned increases with each age group. Very few 3-4s (3%)
or 5-7s (8%) own five or more of the 13 media devices, but a quarter of 8-11s (26%) and four
in ten 12-15s (44%) are in this high multiple ownership category. The number of devices
owned does not vary by gender. The average number of devices owned is, however, lower
for children aged 5-15 in DE households compared to all children (2.8 vs. 3.1).

Devices in the childs bedroom

Children are now less likely than in 2012 to have television, a games console/
player or a radio in their bedrooms
In order to understand more about childrens and young peoples media habits, it is useful to
know the various types of media activity that take place in a childs bedroom. Figure 9 below
show results among all children aged 5-15, while Figure 10 shows how the results vary by
each of the four age groups of children: 3-4, 5-7, 8-11 and 12-15.
Virtually all children aged 3-15 (99%) have access to a television at home. The incidence of
having a television in the bedroom, however, increases with each age group; accounting for
one in five 3-4s (22%), around two in five 5-7s (37%), half of 8-11s (53%), and six in ten 1215s (62%).
Among children aged 5-15, the incidence of having a television in the bedroom has
decreased since 2012 (52% vs. 59%). By age group, this decrease is evident among 12-15s
(62% vs. 73%), but Figure 10 shows a significant downward trend for each age group from 5
to 15 since 2007. Most, but not all, of those who have a TV in their bedroom in 2013 use this
device for watching TV programmes (88%) and for watching DVD videos (78%).
Games consoles/ games players (either fixed or portable) are the second most common type
of medium present in childrens bedrooms, accounting for one in ten 3-4s (11%), one-quarter
of 5-7s (28%), half of 8-11s (53%) and six in ten 12-15s (57%). Compared to 2012, children
aged 5-15 are now less likely to have a games console/ player in their bedroom (47% vs.
56%), with this decrease evident for each of the three age groups from 5 to 15.
While not shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10, DVD/ Blu-ray players/ recorders are the third
most common type of medium present in childrens bedrooms, accounting for one in three
children aged 5-15 (29%). As with TV sets and games consoles/ players, the incidence
increases with each age group of children, at one in ten 3-4s (10%), one in five 5-7s (21%),
and three in ten 8-11s (30%) and 12-15s (34%). While the incidence of having a DVD/ Bluray players/ recorder in the bedroom is unchanged across all 5-15s since 2012, it is now less
likely for children aged 12-15 (34% vs. 41%).
Although most children aged 5-15 have PC/ laptop/netbook-based internet access in the
household (91%), a minority have access to the internet in their bedroom through one of
these devices. The incidence increases with each age group; accounting for none in the 3-4
age group (0%), around one in 20 5-7s (4%), one in seven 8-11s (15%), and two in five 1215s (38%). Each of these measures for 5-15s is unchanged since 2012.
One in seven children aged 5-15 (15%) have a radio in their bedroom, with this incidence
increasing with the age of the child, accounting for very few 3-4s (2%), one in 20 5-7s (5%),
and one in five 8-11s (18%) and 12-15s (19%). Compared to 2012, children aged 5-15 are
less likely to have a radio in the bedroom (15% vs. 19%) driven by a decrease among 12-

29

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

15s (19% vs. 30%). Figure 10 shows a significant downward trend for each age group from 5
to 15 since 2007.
While not shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10, one in ten children aged 5-15 (9%) have a DVR
in their bedroom; this is more likely for 12-15s (12%) than for 8-11s (7%), 5-7s (5%) or 3-4s
(3%). Each of these measures are unchanged since 2012.
In 2013, boys aged 5-15 are more likely than girls to have a TV (55% vs. 49%) or a fixed
games console in their bedroom (44% vs. 20%) while girls aged 5-15 are more likely to have
a portable media player (25% vs. 19%) or a radio in their bedroom (17% vs. 13%).
Children in AB socio-economic groups are less likely than all children aged 5-15 to have a
television (45% vs. 52%) or a fixed games console (25% vs. 32%) in their bedroom. Children
in DE households are less likely than all children aged 5-15 to have a handheld or fixed
games console (41% vs. 47%), or a portable media player (17% vs. 22%) in their bedroom.
No particular gender or socio-economic group is more or less likely to have PC/
laptop/netbook-based internet access in the childs bedroom.
Figure 9: Media in childrens bedrooms, among 5-15s: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Games console/
Games player

TV
%

69

66
61

65
60

59

Internet (PC/ laptop/

netbook based)

Radio set
(DAB or AM/FM)

62
56

52

47

43
32
20

24

20

19

2012

2011

2009

2007

2013

2012

2011

2009

2007

2013

2012

2011

2009

2007

2013

2012

2011

2009

2007

11

15

2013

22
16

QP3A/H/I/K Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use. (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 (3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in
2013). Significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

30

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 10: Media in childrens bedrooms, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Games console/ player
in bedroom

81
77
7473

7169
64
60

62

Radio set (DAB or

AM/FM)

74
69 70
64
57

56

53

49

4544
41
38

43
3938

43
32

31

28

25

22

20
15
121414
9

11

Aged
8-11

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2013

Aged
3-4

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2013

Aged
3-4

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2013

Aged
5-7

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

3434
0 2

15
10
75

Aged
12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

25
1918

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

52
49
4543
37

6967
61
58
53

Internet (PC/ laptop/

netbook based)

Aged
8-11

34
30
19

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

TV in bedroom

Aged
12-15

QP3A/H/ I/ C/ J Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may
not use (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in
2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11 in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357
aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) significance testing shows any
change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

31

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Childrens media use in the home

Four in ten children aged 5-15 use a tablet computer at home, three times
higher than in 2012
So far, we have reported on the extent to which certain media have been taken up in
households with children aged 5-15 (see Figure 1 to Figure 4) and the extent to which
mobile phones (see Figure 5 to Figure 7) and tablet computers (see Figure 8) are owned by
children. Parents were also asked about their childs use of the various media within the
home, regardless of whether the media devices were owned by the child or more generally
by the household 17. Figure 11 and Figure 12 show the media used for all children aged 5-15,
while Figure 13 and Figure 14 show the media used among 3-4s, 5-7s, 8-11 and 12-15s.
Figure 1 showed a decline since 2012 in household ownership of a games console/ games
player. As shown in Figure 11 below, eight in ten children aged 5-15 now use a fixed or
portable games player at home (81% using either, 73% using a games console connected to
a TV, 60% using a handheld/ portable games player), which is a decrease since 2012 (81%
vs. 86%) due to a decline in use both for connected consoles (73% vs. 78%) and for
handheld players (60% vs. 69%). Children aged 8-11 (87%) and 12-15 (83%) are more likely
than 5-7s (70%) to use these devices, as in previous surveys. The decline in use across all
5-15s since 2012 is evident among 5-7s (70% vs. 79%). Among 3-4s, four in ten (41%) use
a fixed (30%) or portable games player (29%) at home.
And as in previous years, there are differences between boys and girls use of games
consoles. Boys in each age group between 5 and 15 are more likely than girls to use a fixed
games player; whether 5-7s (68% vs. 50%), 8-11s (86% vs. 72%) or 12-15s (89% vs. 66%).
Boys are as likely as girls in each age group to use a handheld/ portable games player. The
gender difference for use of fixed games consoles is not evident among 3-4s.
Figure 1 showed that home access to the internet is unchanged since 2012. As shown in
Figure 11 and Figure 13, four in five of all children aged 5-15 (81%) use the internet at home
through a PC, laptop or netbook, similar to the 2012 measure. Among the different age
groups, three in ten 3-4s (29%), three in five 5-7s (62%), eight in ten 8-11s (83%) and nine in
ten 12-15s (92%) use the internet at home through a PC, laptop or netbook. Since 2012 no
age group is more or less likely to use the internet at home through a PC, laptop or netbook.
As shown in Figure 11, three-quarters of children aged 5-15 (77%) use a DVD/ Blu-ray
player/ recorder at home, which is a decrease on the 2012 measure (82%). Although not
shown in Figure 13 or Figure 14, this is due to a decline in use among 5-7s (71% vs. 78%)
and 8-11s (76% vs. 84%). Two in three children aged 3-4 (65%) use a DVD/ Blu-ray player/
recorder at home.
As shown in Figure 3, access to a DVR in the household is unchanged since 2012. And as
shown in Figure 11, use of a DVR in the home has declined among 5-15s since 2012 (67%
vs. 71%). Although not shown in Figure 13 or Figure 14, this decrease is evident among 1215s (70% vs. 78%). Children aged 8-11 are as likely as 12-15s to use a DVR (68%), and
both older age groups are more likely than 5-7s (61%). Half of 3-4s use a DVR (53%).
Childrens use of a mobile phone includes circumstances in which the child may be using a
mobile phone that belongs to someone else in the household. Since 2012, mobile phone use
has not changed for any age group among children aged 5-15, with use in 2013 by one in
five 3-4s (20%) and 5-7s (22%), half of 8-11s (50%) and nine in ten 12-15s (89%).
17

It is not possible to show data for use of smart TVs within the household, as the question asked
only about household ownership rather than use.

32

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 3 showed a decline since 2012 in household ownership of a radio. As shown in

Figure 12 and Figure 14, children aged 5-15 are now less likely than in 2012 to use a radio
at home, with four in ten users in 2013 (42% vs. 46%), and this decline is evident among 811s (42% vs. 50%). Use of radio increases with each age group, accounting for a quarter of
3-4s (25%), one-third of 5-7s (30%), four in ten 8-11s (42%) and half of 12-15s (50%).
Since 2012 household ownership of a tablet computer has more than doubled, as shown in
Figure 1. As shown in Figure 12 and Figure 14, use of a tablet computer at home has tripled
among 5-15s since 2012 (42% vs. 14%), with this increase evident for 5-7s (39% vs. 11%),
8-11s (44% vs. 13%) and 12-15s (42% vs. 17%). One-quarter (28%) of 3-4s use a tablet
computer at home.
Around one in three children aged 5-15 (35%) use a portable media player at home,
unchanged since 2012. As shown in Figure 12 and Figure 14, use increases with each age
group, accounting for one in five 5-7s (20%), three in ten 8-11s (33%) and one in two 12-15s
(47%). Compared to 2012, 5-7s are more likely to use a portable media player (20% vs.
12%). One in ten 3-4s (9%) use a portable media player at home.
Compared to all children aged 5-15, children in AB households are more likely to use most
of the devices shown in Figure 11 and Figure 12, and children in DE households are less
likely to use most of these devices. These differences by socio-economic group reflect the
higher levels of household take-up of these media devices in AB households, and lower
levels in DE households.

33

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 11: Media used by children aged 5-15 at home: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Games console/
Games player

Internet PC/ laptop/

netbook based

DVD/ Blu-ray player/

recorder

Digital Video
Recorder (DVR)*

%
86

88

91
86

81

82

81

82

81

89
81

82
77

75

71
67

64

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

61

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

QP3H/I/C/K/B Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use. (prompted responses, single coded) *Question wording changed in 2011 f or DVR
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 (3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in
2013). Signif icance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 12: Media used by children aged 5-15 at home: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Mobile phone

Radio set (DAB or

AM/FM)

Tablet computer

Portable Media
Player

67
59

59

60

58

57

60
50
46

42

42
36
32

14

35

16

5
2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

QP3F/J/E/G Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use. (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 (3696 aged 5-15 in 2007, 2131 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in
2013). Signif icance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

34

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 13: Media used by children at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013

Games console/
Games player

Internet PC/ laptop/

netbook based

Mobile phone

%
93

91 92 91
87

85
79

81

86

87 89 87

85

83

79

95

92

90

87
83

76

93

90 91 89

83
75

70

68

63

65

62

65

58

56

59

61
52

50

50

41
29
20

21

19

22 22

2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP3H/I/C/F Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use. (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013 , 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7
in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11 in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357
aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) significance testing shows any
change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 14: Media used by children at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013

Radio set (DAB or

AM/FM)

Tablet computer

Portable Media
Player

77
70

67
60

57
53

50

51 50

50
44

42
37
33

30

36
30

28

25

14

13
6
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

17

12

5
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

6
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

11

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

33
25

20

17

2013

47

42

39

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

52
48

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

53

Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
3-4
5-7
8-11
12-15
3-4
5-7
8-11
12-15
3-4
5-7
8-11
12-15
QP3J/E/G Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use. (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012,
533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11 in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged
12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) significance testing shows any change
between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

35

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Just under half of children aged 5-15 ever watch television programmes at
home on an device other than a TV set
As in 2012, parents 18 of children were asked which devices their child ever used to watch
television programmes at home. As shown in Figure 15, virtually all children aged 5-15
(98%) ever watch TV programmes on a TV set, unchanged since 2012. In 2013, children
aged 5-15 are more likely than in 2012 to watch television programmes on devices other
than a TV set, with just under half of children aged 5-15 using an alternative device (45% vs.
34%).
As shown in Figure 16, there has been an increase since 2012 in the incidence of children in
all age groups using an alternative device to watch television programmes (58% vs. 46% for
12-15s, 41% vs. 33% for 8-11s and 35% vs. 18% for 5-7s). One-quarter of 3-4s (25%) ever
use an alternative device to watch TV programmes, while almost all (98%) ever watch on a
TV set.
For each age group, the alternative device most likely to be used to watch TV programmes
at home is a PC, laptop or netbook (32% of all 5-15s vs. 26% in 2012), followed by a games
console/ games player (18% vs. 12% in 2012). One in seven children aged 3-4 (14%) ever
watch using a PC, laptop of netbook.
A quarter of children aged 12-15 (25%) ever watch TV programmes using a mobile phone,
but this device is used by fewer younger children (10% 8-11s, 5% 5-7s, 4% 3-4s). Across all
children aged 5-15, one in seven (15%) ever watch TV programmes using a tablet computer,
up threefold since 2012 (5%). One in ten children aged 3-4 (9%) ever watch using a tablet
computer.
Overall use of an alternative device to watch TV programmes at home does not differ
between boys and girls and is no more or less likely for any socio-economic group.

18

In 2013, responses are taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent.

36

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 15: Devices ever used by children aged 5-15 to watch television programmes at
home: 2012 and 2013

TV set

99

PC/ laptop/
netbook

Games console/
player (fixed or
portable)

Mobile phone

Portable media
player

Tablet computer

Any device
other than a TV
set

98

45
34

32
26
18

15

14

12
5

2012

2012

2013

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

QP5 Does your child EVER use any of these devices to watch television programmes at home? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013). In 2013 responses are taken f rom
the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous years
Signif icance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 16: Devices ever used to watch television programmes at home, by age: 2012
and 2013

98
98
99
99
99
98

Games console/
player (fixed or
portable)

Mobile phone

Tablet computer

Portable media
player

Any device
other than a
TV set

25
18

2013

2013
2012

2013
2012

2012

2013

2013

7
6
9
2013
2012

1
2012

4
3

1
2013

2013
2012

14
6

2013

2013
2012

13
4

3
2012

2013
2012

9
2013
2013

18

25
10
10
2013
2012

5
3

1
2012

2013

2013

2013
2012

2013
2012

2013

2013
2012

2013
2012

2013

2013
2012

2013
2012

2013
2012

7
2012

14
13
18
15
21
7

14
2012

2013

14
2013

19
23

28

35
33

39

41

45

46

58

98

2012

PC/ laptop/
netbook

2013

TV set

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged
3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-7 8-11 12-15

QP5 Does your child EVER use any of these devices to watch television programmes at home? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013 , 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013,
572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). In 2013 responses are taken f rom the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in
previous years
Signif icance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

37

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

A quarter of children aged 5-15 use on-demand television services

Parents of children with a television set in the household were asked whether it is possible to
watch TV programmes on demand through the households TV service 19, and whether this is
through services such as Sky On Demand or Virgin Media Catch-Up TV, or through
standalone services such as LoveFilm, Netflix or Blinkbox. Half of all parents (49%) of 5-15
year olds said that it is possible to watch TV on demand in any of these ways. Access to ondemand services does not vary by the age of the child, but is more likely in AB households
(60% vs. 49%) and less likely in DE households (36% vs. 49%).
Parents were asked whether their child ever watches on-demand television services on the
household television set. Figure 17 shows responses relating to the childs use of ondemand television services in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Please note that the question used in
2013 is different to that asked in 2012, so we do not make comparisons with the previous
survey.
Use varies by age, with 8-11s (29%) and 12-15s (30%) both being more likely than 5-7s
(21%) and 3-4s (20%) to use on-demand television services.
Children in AB households are more likely to use on-demand services compared to all
children aged 5-15 (33% vs. 27%), while children in DE households are less likely (20% vs.
27%). These differences in use by socio-economic group reflect the difference in access to
on-demand services, mentioned above.
Figure 17: Use of on-demand television services, by age and socio-economic group:
2011, 2012 and 2013

41

40
27 26 29

30

33
29 29

28

26

31

29
25

21

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

AB

C1

C2

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

Aged
3-4

2013

20 19 20

16 14

2012

20

2011

26 28 27

32

DE

QP8B - Can you watch TV programmes on-demand through your TV service? By this, I mean pay-per-view programmes or using the TV catch-up services
that allow you to watch some of the programmes shown in the last week, through services such as Sky On Demand or Virgin Media Catch-up TV. I do not mean
watching programmes that you have personally recorded onto your hard-drive e.g. through Sky+ or a PVR or DVR or using a computer, laptop, netbook, tablet,
mobile phone or games console to watch television. IF YES ASK: Does your child use the television to watch any of these types of on-demand services at
all? Do they watch programmes on demand through your TV service such as Sky or Virgin Media, or through a standalone service such as LoveFilm, Netf lix or
Blinkbox? (prompted response, single coded)* NB Changes to the question wording in 2013 mean that any df f erences between 2012 and 2013 are not f lagged
as signif icant
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013, 573 aged 5-7 in
2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged
12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013, 386 AB in 2011, 327 AB in 2012, 343 AB in 2013, 493 C1 in 2011, 433 C1 in 2012, 473 C1 in 2013, 332 C2 in 2011,
363 C2 in 2012, 338 C2 in 2013, 506 DE in 2011, 594 DE in 2012, 535 DE in 2013).
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

19

See footnote within Figure 17 for the question asked about the childs use of on-demand TV
services.

38

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Regular media activities

Television continues to be the most popular regular 20 media activity among
children of all ages
Children aged 5-15 were asked to choose 21, from a list of eight media activities, which, if
any, they did regularly (defined in this research as almost every day) 22. Figure 18 and
Figure 19 show the findings among 3-4s, 5-7s, 8-11 and 12-15s.
As has been the case since 2007, television continues to be the most popular regular media
activity. Over nine in ten children in each group say they watch television almost every day.
As has been the case each year since 2009, television, and watching videos or DVDs, are
activities that are undertaken daily by children in each age group to a similar degree,
whereas regular use of the internet, mobile phones and MP3 players increases with the age
of the child.
Since 2012 there have been some changes in the patterns of regular media use across all
children aged 5-15; with an overall decline in the proportion saying they regularly read
magazines, comics or newspapers (31% vs. 38%). This decline is evident for both 8-11s
(31% vs. 41%) and 12-15s (28% vs. 39%). Within the three age groups there is only one
other change since 2012: 12-15s are less likely to say they regularly use the internet/ go
online (81% vs. 87%). Regular media use has not changed since 2012 among children aged
5-7.
Within each age group there are relatively few differences between boys and girls. Among 57s, boys are more likely than girls to say they regularly watch television (98% vs. 94%). Boys
aged 8-11 and 12-15 are more likely than girls to say they regularly play computer or video
games (70% vs. 46% for 8-11s, 72% vs. 40% for 12-15s), but this difference is not evident
for 5-7s, unlike previous surveys.
Among 12-15s, girls are more likely than boys to read magazines, comics or newspapers
(33% vs. 24%). Previous surveys have shown that girls aged 12-15 are more likely to
regularly use a mobile phone, but this difference is not evident in 2013.
There are also very few differences in regular media use by household socio-economic
group. Children in DE households are less likely than all children to say that they regularly
listen to an MP3 player (14% vs. 20%), while children in the C2 socio-economic group are
more likely than all children to say they regularly watch videos or DVDs (56% vs. 47%).

20

In this context, regular refers to an activity which the child states they do almost every day.
As this question is asked of children rather than parents, there are no data for children aged 3-4.
22
Media use in Figure 18 and Figure 19 will differ to the figures shown earlier at Figure 11 to Figure
14, as those data showed any use as opposed to regular use and were obtained from a parent
rather than from the child.
21

39

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 18: Regular media activities undertaken, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013

91
94
95
93
95
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Play computer or
video games

Watch videos/
DVDs

Aged
5-7

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

53
53
48
48

56
51
46
44

33

39

39

39

46

49
51

55
56

61
59
56
56

62
58

60

68
50

52

58
54
52

63

39

38
37

Aged
5-7

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

18

37

43

54

65
62
62

78

81

85
87

93
94
94
91
92

Use the internet/

going online

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

94
95
95
96
96

Watch TV

Aged
12-15

QC52 Which of the following do you do almost every day? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 ( 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011,570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11
in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009,
558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 19: Regular media activities undertaken, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013
Use a mobile
phone

Read
magazines,
comics or
newspapers

Listen to an MP3
player like an
iPod

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

37
33

38
Aged
8-11

16
20
Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

7
8

11
Aged
5-7

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

6
6
Aged
12-15

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

19
16

25

33
31
29

27

22
20

27
28
18

30
20
20
16

15

28

5
6
7
6
8
2007
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

43
42

43

49
31

42
39

39

45
41
41

38

37
35
34
33

30

28
32
33
31
29

69

82
78
81
83

Listen to radio

Aged
12-15

QC52 Which of the following do you do almost every day? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 ( 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011,570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354 aged 8-11
in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009,
558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

40

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Radio listening, by device

Decline in radio listening at home since 2011
Parents were asked about their childs radio listening within the home, and the types of radio
used. Around two in five children aged 5-15 (37%) listen to the radio at home, with the
likelihood of listening increasing with the age of the child (25% of 5-7s, 36% of 8-11s and
45% of 12-15s). One in four (26%) 3-4s ever listen to the radio at home.
Figure 20 shows that since 2012 there has been an overall decline in the proportion of
children aged 5-15 listening to radio at home (37% vs. 42%); this is driven by a decline
among 5-7s (25% vs. 32%).
Around one in five children aged 5-15 (17%) listen to any type of digital radio at home (either
through a DAB radio, on TV or over the internet), with the likelihood of listening to digital
radio increasing with the age of the child (10% of 5-7s, 17% of 8-11s and 23% of 12-15s).
One in ten children aged 3-4 (10%) listen to any type of digital radio at home. While broader
radio listening has declined since 2012, there has been no change in digital radio listening,
either overall or for any particular age group.
In 2013 there are some differences by socio-economic group and gender (not shown in
Figure 20). Children in AB households are more likely than all children to listen to digital
radio (25% vs. 17%), and to a DAB radio (16% vs. 9%). Also, girls aged 8-11 are more likely
than boys to listen to any type of radio (42% vs. 31%), in particular through a mobile phone
(5% vs. 1%).
Figure 20: Radio listening at home, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Does not listen to radio at home

Only listens through traditional radio

Any digital radio listening

100%
10%

80%

17%

19%

19%

17%

13%

14%

12%

10%

15%

17%

17%

17%

22%

20%

18%

18%

23%

24%

27%

24%

18%

50%

51%

55%

2011

2012

2013

19%

36%

36%

34%

23%

23%

18%

60%

40%

23%

14%

15%

20%

38%

74%
58%

58%

68%

75%
58%

51%

47%

20%

68%

63%

58%

64%

51%
39%

0%
2013

Aged 3-4

2009

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013

2009

2011

2012

Aged 5-7

2013

2009

2011

2012

Aged 8-11

2013

2009

Aged 12-15

QP22 Does your child ever listen to radio in these ways in your home? (prompted responses, multicoded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013 , 2130 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 515 in 2013, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575
aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

41

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Internet use, by device

Children aged 5-15 are increasingly likely to go online at home through a
mobile phone or tablet computer
Parents 23 were asked whether their child ever uses devices other than a PC/laptop/netbook
to go online at home (Figure 21, Figure 22 and Figure 23).
While four in five children (81%) go online at home through a PC, laptop or netbook, a
quarter go online via a mobile phone (27%) or a tablet computer (23%), one in six go online
via a fixed or portable games console/ games player (17%), and one in ten through a
portable media player like an iPod Touch (9%). The incidence of children going online
through any of these devices increases with age. One-third of children aged 3-4 (33%) go
online at home through any of these devices; principally through a PC/laptop/netbook (29%),
but one in ten 3-4s (12%) go online via a tablet computer.
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of all children aged 5-15, or
any particular age group, going online at home through a PC, laptop or netbook. There has
been an overall increase in the incidence of children aged 5-15 going online via a mobile
phone (27% vs. 22%), due to increases for children aged 8-11 (18% vs. 12%) and 12-15
(52% vs. 44%). There has also been an increase in the incidence of children aged 5-15
going online via a tablet computer (23% vs. 9%), due to increases for 5-7s (21% vs. 6%), 811s (27% vs. 9%) and 12-15s (22% vs. 11%).
Accessing the internet at home through a fixed or portable games player/ console has not
changed since 2012, accounting for around one in ten 5-7s (8%) and around one in five 811s (19%) and 12-15s (22%).
Boys aged 8-11 are more likely than girls of this age to ever access the internet at home via
a fixed or portable games console/games player (25% vs. 14%), as are boys aged 12-15
compared to girls of this age (33% vs. 11%).
In 2013, there are some differences by socio-economic group. Children in AB households
are more likely to go online through a PC, laptop or netbook (89% vs. 81%), through a tablet
computer (33% vs. 23%), through a portable media player (13% vs. 9%) and across any of
the devices as a whole (90% vs. 84%). Children in DE households are less likely to go online
through several of the devices; including a PC, laptop or netbook (73% vs. 81%), a tablet
computer (17% vs. 23%), a portable media player (4% vs. 9%), or across any of the devices
(78% vs. 84%).
As shown in Figure 21, use of any device to go online at home is almost the same as use of
a PC, laptop or netbook to go online. This use of other devices to go online at home is very
much in addition to use through a PC, laptop or netbook.
While not shown in Figure 21 below, 4% of all 5-15s use only an alternative device and not a
PC, laptop or netbook to go online at home, an increase since 2012 (1%). No particular age
group or socio-economic group is more likely to use only an alternative device, but children
in AB households are less likely (1% vs. 4%). The overall increase in using only an
alternative device to go online since 2012 is evident for 5-7s (3% vs. 1%), 8-11s (4% vs.
0%), 12-15s (5% vs. 2%), C1s and C2s (both 4% vs. 1%), and DEs (6% vs. 2%).

23

In 2013, responses were taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent.

42

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 21: Devices ever used by children aged 5-15 to go online at home: 2011, 2012
and 2013
Uses any device
to access the
internet at home

PC/ laptop/
netbook

Mobile phone

Tablet computer

Games console/
player (fixed or
portable)

Portable media
player

%
84

83

84

82

82

81

27

23

22

17

14

18

17

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

QP3C/ QP26A Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may
not use / Including any ways you may have already mentioned, does your child ever use any of the following devices to go online at home? (prompted
responses, single coded) *Shows responses given by 2% or more of all respondents in 2013. In 2013 responses are taken from the child aged 12-15 rather
than the parent, as had been the case in previous years
Base (1717 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1717 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1689 aged 5-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 22: Devices ever used by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012
and 2013
Uses any device to
access the internet
at home

Tablet computer

85
87
83
65
58
62

21

22

27

29

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

9
Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

2011 1
6
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013
2013

Aged
5-7

11

12

5
6
2011
2012
2013

Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013
2013

Aged
5-7

Aged
12-15
33not use
QP3C/ QP26A Im going to read out a list of dif ferent types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may
/ Including any ways you may have already mentioned, does your child ever use any of the f ollowing devices to go online at home? (prompted responses, single
coded) **RESPONSES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE GIVEN BY 2% OR MORE OF ALL RESPONDENTS IN 2013 NB The question wording changed at Wave
2 2010 responses f rom wave 1 and wave 2 2010 have however been combined. In 2013 responses are taken f rom the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent,
as had been the case in previous years
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011,
575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any
change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013
Aged
3-4

Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013
2013

2011
2012
2013

2013

12

18

29

33

44

52

58

65

66

87
87
87

Mobile phone

93
95
92

96
97
97

PC/ laptop/ netbook

Aged
8-11

43

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 23: Devices ever used by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012
and 2013
Games console/ player
(fixed or portable)

Portable media player

96
97
97

Uses any device to

access the internet
at home

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

5
6

12
14
11

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

23
27
22
Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

10
Aged
8-11

2011 2
2012 1
4
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

2011
2012
2013
2013 1

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2011
2012
2013
2013

2013

8
6
8

19
18
19

33

58

65

66

87
87
87

QP3C/ QP26A Im going to read out a list of different types of equipment that you may or may not have in your home, and which your child may or may not
use / Including any ways you may have already mentioned, does your child ever use any of the following devices to go online at home? (prompted responses,
single coded) **RESPONSES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE GIVEN BY 2% OR MORE OF ALL RESPONDENTS IN 2013 NB In 2013 responses are taken
from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous years
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011,
575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any
change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Device mostly used to go online at home

More 5-15 year olds mostly go online at home using tablets or mobiles
Parents 24 whose child uses the internet at home were asked to say which device the child
most often used to go online at home, as shown in Figure 24 and Figure 25.
At an overall level, children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home are more likely to mostly
use a PC/ laptop/ netbook than any other device. However, since 2012, fewer children aged
5-15 mostly use a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home (68% vs. 85%).
Since 2012, PC/laptops/ netbooks are less likely to be the device mostly used by 5-7s (74%
vs. 91%), 8-11s (70% vs. 90%) and 12-15s (63% vs. 79%). This also varies by socioeconomic group; AB households (69% vs. 92%), C1 households (64% vs. 88%) and DE
households (70% vs. 80%) are all less likely to mostly use PC/ laptops / netbooks.
Six in ten of children aged 3-4 who use the internet at home (61%) mostly use a PC/ laptop/
netbook, while the second most-used device for this age group is a tablet computer (27%).
The overall proportion of children aged 5-15 who are home internet users mostly using a
device other than a laptop/ netbook/ PC is now one-third (32% vs. 15% in 2012).
There has been a big increase in the incidence of children going online at home via tablets.
Children in each age group between 5 and15 are now more likely to mostly use a tablet
24

In 2013, responses are taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent.

44

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

computer to go online at home (19% vs. 4% in 2012 for 5-7s, 15% vs. 3% for 8-11s and 8%
vs. 3% for 12-15s). Mostly using a tablet computer to go online has also increased for each
of the socio-economic groups.
Mostly using a mobile phone to go online is at much the same overall level for 5-15s as
using tablet computers in 2013, and it has also increased since 2012 (11% vs. 6% in 2012).
Mostly using a mobile phone to go online has increased to one in five children aged 12-15
(20% vs. 11%) and is now also more likely for children in AB households (10% vs. 3%) and
C1 households (10% vs. 4%). Mostly using a tablet computer or mobile phone to go online
does not vary by gender for any particular age group.
There are some differences by gender among children aged 12-15. Girls in this age group
are more likely than boys to mostly use a portable media player (5% vs. 1%), while boys are
more likely than girls to mostly use a games console connected to a TV (8% vs. 1%).
Figure 24: Devices used mostly by children to go online at home, by age: 2011, 2012
and 2013
%

3
6

3
6
3

4
3

3
5

3
6

11

4
6

11

19

3
5

20

15
27

Portable/ Handheld
games player

Portable media
player

13
8

Games console
connected to a TV
95
89

91

92

85

90

Mobile phone

84

74

79

70

68

63

61

Tablet computer

PC/ laptop/ netbook

2013

Aged 3-4

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013

2011

2012

Aged 5-7

2013

2011

2012

2013

Aged 8-11

2011

2012

2013

Aged 12-15

QP26B And when your child goes online at home, which device do they mostly use? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 whose child ever goes online at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013,1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012,
1429 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in
2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 551 aged 12-15 in 2013). ***In 2013 responses are taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the
parent, as had been the case in previous years - Significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

45

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 25: Devices used mostly by children to go online at home, by socio-economic

group: 2011, 2012 and 2013
%

3
3

3
3

10

4
4

5
6

3
3

7
7

10

4
10

4
6

5
8

Portable/ Handheld
games player

12

15

13

10

14

Portable media
player

Games console
connected to a TV

89

92

91

91

88

87
80

69

70

69

Mobile phone

81

64
Tablet computer

PC/ laptop/ netbook

2011

2012

AB

2013

2011

2012

C1

2013

2011

2012

C2

2013

2011

2012

2013

DE

QP26B And when your child goes online at home, which device do they mostly use? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child ever goes online at home (357 AB in 2011, 289 AB in 2012, 309 AB in 2013, 422 C1 in 2011, 376 C1 in
2012, 413 C1 in 2013, 274 C2 in 2011, 311 C2 in 2012, 290 C2 in 2013, 368 DE in 2011, 448 DE in 2012, 417 DE in 2013 ). ***In 2013 responses are
taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous years - Significance testing shows any change between 2012
and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Where in the home the internet is accessed

More children aged 8-11 are mostly using the internet in their bedroom
Children 25 who use the internet at home were asked where in the house they most often
used it. The living room continues to be the most frequently-mentioned location for internet
use, for children aged 5-15 (67%).
Less than one in 20 5-7s (4%) and around one in five 8-11s (17%) said they mostly used the
internet in their bedroom, with an increase since 2012 in the 8-11s saying this (17% vs.
12%). Among internet users aged 12-15, two in five said they mostly used the internet in
their bedroom (40%), unchanged since 2012 and with no difference by gender within 12-15s.
No particular socio-economic group is more likely to mostly use the internet in the living
room or bedroom.

25

As this question is asked of children rather than parents, there are no data for children aged 3-4.

46

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Half of children aged 12-15 use the internet on their own most of the time
Children 26 who use the internet at home were asked to say if anyone was with them most of
the time they used the internet, and whether this was an adult or other children.
Figure 26 shows that the majority of 5-7s and 8-11s say they spend most of the time using
the internet with an adult in the room (85% and 69% respectively). The proportion of children
spending most of their internet time using the internet on their own increases with each age
group. Those who mostly use the internet on their own account for one in ten internet users
aged 5-7 (11%), one-quarter aged 8-11 (24%) and half of those aged 12-15 (52%).
The overall picture regarding who children are with when they use the internet at home is
unchanged since 2012, with no differences by gender or socio-economic group.
Figure 26: Who is with the child using the internet at home, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011,
2012 and 2013
With an adult in the room
%

21
46

38

32

35

33
10

8
8

17

10
6

With other children, but no adults

14
6

11
4
40

30

24

24

24

On your own

63

57

44

59

58

60

69

75

83

80

85

2009

52

62

67

69

69

40

39

39

2011

2012

2013

8
9

49
28

2007

55

11

10

54

51

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013

2007

2009

2011

2012

Aged 5-7

2013

2007

2009

2011

2012

Aged 8-11

2013

2007

35

2009

Aged 12-15

QC10 Thinking about when youre using the internet at home, do you spend most of the time using (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (477 aged 5-7 in 2007, 340 aged 5-7 in 2009, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012,
381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 875 aged 8-11 in 2007, 582 aged 8-11 in 2009, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1045
aged 12-15 in 2007, 645 aged 12-15 in 2009, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows
any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

26

As this question is asked of children rather than parents, there are no data for children aged 3-4.

47

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Internet use in any location

One in 14 children aged 5-15 and six in ten aged 3-4 do not use the internet at
all, in any location
While the main focus of our analysis is upon childrens use of the internet at home, we are
also interested in whether children use the internet anywhere else (for example, at school, at
a library, at the houses of relatives or friends) and on any device. Figure 27 shows where the
internet is used (on any device) among 3-4s, 5-7s, 8-11s and 12-15s.
Four distinct groups are shown: those who use the internet at home (and may also use it
elsewhere); those who use it elsewhere (and may also use it at school, but not at home);
those who use it only at school; and those who dont use it at all.
The incidence of using the internet at all, in any location and on any device, has not changed
across 5-15 year olds as a whole or among older children, since 2012, and accounts for four
in five 5-7s (82%, up from 74%), and nearly all 8-11s (96%) and 12-15s (99%).
There has been an increase since 2012 in the proportion of 5-7s who use the internet at
home (65% vs. 58%) and those who use at school but not elsewhere (16% vs. 11%). The
picture of where the internet is used by 8-11s and by 12-15s has not changed across the last
two surveys. Four in ten children aged 3-4 (40%) use the internet at all, with most of these
(33%) using it at home. Seven per cent of all 5-15s do not use the internet at all, in any
location. This has not changed since 2012.
Children in DE households are more likely than all children aged 5-15 to use the internet
only at school and not elsewhere (10% vs. 7%), while children in AB households are more
likely than all children aged 5-15 to use it at home (90% vs. 84%). No particular socioeconomic group is more likely not to use the internet at all.
Figure 27: Where the internet is used by children, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and
2013
Aged 5-7

Aged 3-4

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Use at
home
33
50
63

1
5

58
66

65

Not home
but
elsewhere

65
76

77
87

87

84

87

96

97

97

Only use at
school/
nursery

5
16
60

2
9

2
9

11

23

26

2
11
16
7

26

2013

07

25

09

11

9
8

4
6
3

07

09

11

18

12

13

Do not use
at all

12

16

3
5
5

3
6
4

9
2

12

13

07

09

11

12

13

QP3C/ QP26A/ QC31 SUMMARY OF WHERE THE INTERNET IS USED (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 (685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012,
533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 772 aged 8-11 in 2005, 1354 aged 8-11 in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 811 in 2013, 764 aged 12-15 in 2005, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in
2013). Significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

48

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Devices used to play games

Increase in gaming using a tablet computer since 2012
We asked parents and children a number of questions to find out about the devices they
used to play games at home 27. Figure 28 and Figure 29 show findings for 3-4s, 5-7s, 8-11s
and 12-15s.
Most children in each of the three age groups use at least one of the devices we asked
about to play games, accounting for four in five 5-7s (84%), and around nine in ten 8-11s
(92%) and 12-15s (88%). The overall proportion of children aged 5-15 who use any devices
to play games at home is unchanged since 2012 (88% vs. 87%). Six in ten children aged 3-4
(57%) use any devices to play games at home.
A games console connected to a television remains the most commonly-used device for
gaming; used by at least half of all children in each age group. Handheld/ portable games
consoles remain the second most commonly-used devices for gaming and are used by half
of all 5-15 year olds.
Compared to 2012, however, children aged 5-15 are now less likely to play games on fixed
or handheld consoles; resulting in a decline of around ten percentage points both for fixed
consoles (64% vs. 73%) and for hand-held consoles (50% vs. 61%). They are also less likely
to play on a computer, laptop or netbook (36% vs. 40%).
Across all 5-15 year olds, use of some other devices remains at a similar level to that found
in 2012: whether a, mobile phone, or portable media player; in marked contrast to the
increase in numbers of children using tablets for gaming.
Use of a tablet computer for gaming has increased since 2012 among all 5-15 year olds
(23% vs. 7%) and among each of the age groups (23% vs. 6% for 5-7s, 26% vs. 8% for 811s, 19% vs. 8% for 12-15s).
Boys are more likely than girls to use any of the devices for gaming that we asked about,
both among 8-11s (96% vs. 87%) and 12-15s (94% vs. 82%), but not among 5-7s (84% vs.
83%). The overall difference in gaming between boys and girls aged 5-15 (92% vs. 84%)
continues to be due to the higher use among boys of games consoles connected to a
television (76% boys vs. 51% girls). No other device is more likely to be used for gaming by
boys than by girls in 2013.
Across the socio-economic groups, children in AB households are more likely than all
children to play games at home on a computer, laptop or netbook (44% vs. 36%), on a tablet
computer (35% vs. 23%) or on a portable media player (14% vs. 10%). Children in DE
households are less likely than all children to play games at home on a handheld games
console (43% vs. 50%) or a tablet computer (15% vs. 23%), and are less likely to use any
device for gaming at home (84% vs. 88%).

27

Before 2011, we asked about devices used to play games at home or elsewhere. Since 2011, these
and subsequent questions were re-worded to focus specifically on at-home use.

49

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 28: Devices used for gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Games console
connected to a TV

Handheld
games console

Computer, laptop
or netbook**

74
77

64

37

49
45
46

48
40
42

43

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2013

Aged
8-11

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

Aged
5-7

2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2009
2011
2012
2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

17

25

30

34
36
33
29

43

51

52

57

57

66
66
60

66

67

74

73

54

58

63
66

69

75
78
77

79

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7

QP75 Does your child ever play games at home in any of these ways? (prompted responses, multi-coded) only showing responses by 2% or more of all 515s ** Prior to 2011 the question asked about playing games on a computer or laptop only **NB since 2011 the questions about gaming now focus on use at
home as opposed to use at home or elsewhere. In 2013 responses are taken from the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous
years
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 ( 685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013,
773 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 1215 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). - Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 29: Devices used for gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Mobile phone

Tablet

Portable media
player

26

Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

Aged
5-7

8
8
3

2009 1
3
2011
3
2012
6
2013

3
2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

8
3

Aged
8-11

12

Aged
5-7

2009
2011
2012
2013

2009
2011 1
6
2012
2013

2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged Aged
12-15 3-4

12
14
10

19

23
18

23
23

18
18
20
13
2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2009
2011
2012
2013

Aged
3-4

2009
2011
2012
2013

2013

14

13
15

34
31

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP75 Does your child ever play games at home in any of these ways? (prompted responses, multi-coded) only showing responses by 2% or more of all 515s ** Prior to 2011 the question asked about playing games on a computer or laptop only **NB since 2011 the questions about gaming now f ocus on use at
home as opposed to use at home or elsewhere. In 2013 responses are taken f rom the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous
years
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 ( 685 aged 3-4 in 2013, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013,
773 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 781 aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 1215 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013). - Signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

50

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 4

Childrens use of media

This section describes the use that children make of different media, along with a snapshot
of the affinity that children have for each medium. It details the self-reported levels of
consumption for each medium, and the types of activities carried out, including any social
networking activity.
Please note that children and their parents are encouraged to think about use of the internet
across any device that they/ their child may use to go online, as opposed to their use of the
internet on a device-specific basis.

Key findings

At an overall level, children aged 5-15 continue to spend most time watching TV (15.4
hours per week on average). Estimated weekly consumption of television has not
changed since 2012. Weekly TV viewing among children aged 3-4 is comparable to that
of 5-15s overall (15.5 hours) and higher than for 5-7 s (13.9 hours) although this is likely
to be due to children aged 3-4 not yet being at school.

As in 2012, 12-15s continue to spend as much time using the internet as they do
watching television (17.0 hours for the internet vs. 16.6 hours for television). Since 2012,
children aged 8-11 spend more hours per week online (9.2 vs. 8.1 hours). Weekly
internet consumption by 3-4s does not differ from that of 5-7s (6.5 hours vs. 6.7 hours for
5-7s).

There have been further increases in mobile phone consumption, but unlike in 2012, this
is only among 12-15s, who now send more text messages. Between 2011 and 2012
there was an increase for both 8-11s and 12-15s in calls made and text messages sent.

Compared to those with a non-smartphone, 12-15s with a smartphone use their phone
for a broader range of activities. While they no longer make more calls per week,
smartphone users do send more messages than those with a non-smartphone.

12-15s continue to be twice as likely to say that, of all the media they use regularly, they
would miss their mobile phone most (39%) compared to the next most-missed media:
using the internet (19%) and watching television (19%). This rises to half (51%) of 1215s with a smartphone. Compared to 2012, however, 8-11s are more likely to say they
would miss using the internet (15% vs. 10%)

Among all 5-15s who go online at home, the three types of online use undertaken weekly
by a majority are schoolwork/ homework (72%) information (53%) and games (52%).
The most commonly mentioned online activity carried out weekly for 3-4s is playing
games (58%). Breadth of use continues to increase with age.

In 2013, 12-15s are less likely to go online weekly to visit social networking sites (67%
vs.75%) and more likely to go online for instant messaging (55% vs. 45%).

There has been no change since 2012 in the incidence of watching/ downloading usergenerated content online, for any age group of child, and little change in childrens
experience of undertaking most creative or civic activities online (with the exception of
social networking among 12-15s).

51

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Eighteen per cent of 8-11s and 67% of 12-15s say they have an active social networking
profile, which represents a decrease since 2012 for 12-15s (from 80%). There has also
been a decrease since 2012 in the proportion of children aged between 8-12 (under-age
users) with an active profile on Facebook/Bebo or MySpace (22%; down from 30% in
2012).

Among parents of children aged 12-15 with a profile on Facebook, 87% are aware that
there is a minimum age requirement (up from 72% in 2012), and 37% are aware that the
child needs to be 13 years old (up from 24%).

Three in four parents of 12-15s with a social networking site profile continue to check
what their child is doing on these sites. Use of social networking sites by 12-15s to
communicate with people not directly known to them is no more likely in 2013 than in
2012. Four in ten (41%) 12-15s with an active profile say they mostly use a mobile
phone to visit their main social networking site profile - this is the most popular device for
accessing social networking sites. While 85% of 12-15s access their main social
networking site profile daily, one in five (20%) do so more than ten times a day. This
figure increases to 27% among 8-15s who mostly access their profile on a mobile phone.

On average, 12-15s with an active social networking site profile (excluding Twitter) say
they have 272 friends on their main profile. These children estimate that they have not
met around three in ten of these friends (an average of 78 friends).

Four in ten (40%) of 12-15s who use a fixed or portable gaming device to go online use
these devices for communication purposes (for voice chat or for sending messages).

Media consumption
Children aged 12-15 continue to spend as much time using the internet as they
do watching television
We asked parents of younger children (aged 5-11) and older children themselves (aged 1215) to estimate the hours spent using television, radio, internet and games players/ consoles
at home on a typical school day and on a typical weekend day 28. Parents of children aged
3-4, whose child uses each of these media, were also asked about their use on a typical
week day 29 and weekend day.
Figure 30 shows that overall, children aged 5-15 spend more time watching television than
using other media. This is driven by children aged 5-7 and 8-11, as children aged 12-15
continue to spend as much time using the internet as they spend watching television.
Unlike in previous years, children aged 5-7 now spend as many hours per week using the
internet as they spend gaming.
There has been no change since 2012 in the estimated hours using any of these media for
children aged 5-15 overall or among 5-7s or 12-15s. Children aged 8-11 are however, now
more likely to spend more hours per week using the internet (9.2 vs. 8.1 hours).

28

Estimates of hours shown are not based on all children, but on all children who use each of the
media at home. Because these estimates are self-reported it is likely that a degree of under- and
over-reporting will be present and the estimates should be taken as indicative only.

29

As their child aged 3-4 may not yet be attending school, which in turn will affect their availability to
consume media.

52

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children aged 3-4 spend more time watching television than using other media, and are
more likely to watch television, compared to children aged 5-7. This is likely to be due to the
fact that 3-4s are less likely to be at school during the week, so have a greater opportunity to
view, as their weekend viewing is in line with that seen for 5-7s.
Children aged 3-4 use the internet and play games for a similar number of hours per week
as 5-7s. Those aged 3-4 listen to the radio for more hours per week than both 5-7s and 811s, and at a comparable level to 12-15s.
Figure 30: Estimated weekly hours of media consumption at home among users, by
age: 2013
6.5
5.5

Aged 3-4

15.5
8.2

Aged 5-15

8.7

6.8

13.9

6.7
6.2
6.2

Aged 5-7

TV
Internet

6.3

7.5
4.0

Gaming
Radio

Aged 12-15

0.0

15.2

9.2
8.4

Aged 8-11

15.4

12

8.0

16.6
17.0

10.7
12.0

16.0

20.0

24.0

Weekly hours
QP11A-B/ QC3A-B/ QP23A-B/QC8A-B/QP28A-B/QC13A-B/QP76A-B/QC44A-B How many hours would you say he/ she spends [USING
MEDIUM] on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-11 who use each medium at home and children aged 12-15 who use each medium at home (VARIABLE BASE)
-Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Time spent watching television at home has remained consistent since 2007
In 2013, as in previous years, the estimated time spent watching television increases by age
group 30. Parents of children aged 5-7 state that their child watches 13.9 hours of television
per week, lower than the estimated volume for those aged 8-11 (15.2 hours), which in turn is
lower than the estimated volume for those aged 12-15 (16.6 hours). The volume of television
watched in 2013 has not changed for any age group.
In 2013, girls aged 12-15 spend more time than boys watching television (17.9 hours vs.
15.3). Compared to all children, in 2013 children aged 5-15 in AB households spend less
time watching television in a typical week (13.9 vs.15.4 hours) while those in DE households
spend more time watching television (16.6 vs. 15.4 hours). Looking at changes in television
consumption compared to 2012, 5-15s in AB households watch fewer hours of television per
week (13.9 vs. 15.2 hours), as do those in C1 households (14.9 vs. 16.4 hours).

30

BARB television viewing data gives higher average viewing per week see text box below and
Annex 1. While the age-groups are not directly comparable, in 2012 4-15s watched an average of 16
hours 42 minutes each week, 4-9s watched 16 hours 53 minutes, and 10-15s watched 16 hours 31
minutes.

53

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Childrens viewing behaviour

This is a summary, drawn from BARB data, of background information about childrens
viewing behaviour 31. A detailed chart pack is available in Annex 1.
Time of day and quantity of viewing
In 2012 children aged 4-15 watched an average of 16 hours 42 minutes of television per
week, down by 23 minutes on 17 hours 5 minutes per week in 2011, but up on all years
between 2007 and 2009.
Childrens viewing peaks between 7.30pm and 8pm, and the majority of childrens total
viewing takes place before the 9pm watershed.
Looking at post-watershed viewing, specifically 9pm to midnight, the proportion of children
watching television during this time fell slightly in 2012 to 13% (14% in 2011); in 2007 the
figure was 12%. Among 4-9 year-olds the figure rose from 8% in 2007 to 9% in 2011 and
has returned to 8% in 2012. Among the 10-15 age group it increased from 16% in 2007 to
18% in 2011 and declined marginally in 2012 to 17%.
Location and supervision of viewing
Across total television viewing as a whole, 28% of viewing among all children is done alone.
More than a fifth (21%) of children watching television between 9pm and 10pm are watching
alone.
Type of viewing
Just under two-thirds (63%) of total viewing takes place in adult airtime 32 ; in 2011 it was
67%. This varies significantly by age, increasing to 77% among 10-15 year-olds. Over one
third (37%) of viewing is attributed to childrens programming, with the majority (26%)
attributed to commercial childrens airtime.
Live and time-shifted viewing
The vast majority of time spent viewing among all children 4-15 in 2012 was to live
broadcasts (89%) with 12% of their total viewing time-shifted 33. Since 2007 there has been a
small, but progressive decline in viewing to live television (9 percentage point decline). Yet
despite three quarters of the child population having access to digital video recorders in their
home (72% in 2012 vs. 14% in 2007), time-shifted viewing has only increased by 10%
percentage point over the last five years. Older children (10-15) time-shift a higher proportion
of their viewing (12%) compared to younger children aged 4-9 (10%). 34

31

Note that on 1 January 2010 the new BARB measurement panel of 5,100 homes went live. Any
comparison between trend data based on the old panel with those based on the new panel should
therefore be made with caution.
32
This consists of all the main terrestrial channels (BBC One, BBC Two, ITV1, Channel 4 and
Channel 5) excluding the slots when childrens programmes are shown, combined with all digital
channels except for the dedicated childrens channels.
33
Values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
34
The time-shifted data for 2011 reported in Annex 2 of the 2012 Children and Parents: Media Use
and Attitudes report uses a base of all children (4-15) with a DVR. The data reported in Annex 1 of the
2013 Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report uses a base of all children (4-15).

54

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There has been no change in the weekly volume of internet consumption for 515s since 2012
As with television consumption, the estimated weekly volume of internet use at home
increases with the age of the child (6.7 hours for 5-7s, 9.2 hours for 8-11s and 17.0 hours for
12-15s). There has been no change in the estimated time spent online at home among
children aged 5-15 or among 5-7s or 12-15s. 8-11s however now spend more hours per
week going online (9.2 vs. 8.1 hours).
Time spent using the internet at home does not differ between girls and boys in any age
group.
Compared to all children aged 5-15, no particular socio-economic group has a different
estimated volume of use in a typical week in 2013. There has, however, been an increase in
the estimated weekly volume of internet use at home among children in C2 households,
compared to 2012 (12.1 hours vs. 10.3).
Figure 31: Estimated weekly hours of internet consumption, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011,
2012 and 2013

9.7
9.3
10.3

Aged 5-15

11.5
12

2007

4.6

2009

4.5

Aged 5-7

2011

5.5
6.0
6.7

2012
2013

7.8
7.6

Aged 8-11

8.0
8.1
9.2
13.7
13.7
14.9

Aged 12-15

17.1
17
0

12

16

20

24

Weekly hours
QP28A-B/ QC13A-B How many hours would you say he/ she spends using the internet at home on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
(spontaneous question, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-11 who use the internet at home and children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (VARIABLE BASE) Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

55

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There has also been no change in weekly time spent gaming, since 2012
As with television viewing and use of the internet, the estimated weekly hours spent gaming
at home increases with the age of the child (6.2 hours for 5-7s, 8.4 hours for 8-11s and 10.7
hours for 12-15s).
There has been no change in the estimated time spent gaming by each of the three age
groups since 2012.
Boys spend more time than girls game-playing in a typical week, across all 5-15s (10.8 vs.
6.3 hours), and within each age group. This was also the case in 2012.
As for television, in 2013, children aged 5-15 in AB households are estimated to spend less
time gaming in a typical week (7.3 hours vs. 8.7) while those in DE households spend more
hours gaming per week (9.6 hours vs. 8.7). There has, however, been no change in the
estimated weekly hours spent gaming for any socio-economic group since 2012.
Figure 32: Weekly hours of game playing, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013

7.9
9.2

Aged 5-15

2009

8.7

2011

8.7
6.3

2012

6.8

Aged 5-7

6.6

2013

6.2
7.2
9.8

Aged 8-11

8.0
8.4
9.6
10.3

Aged 12-15

11.0
10.7
0

12

16

20

24

Weekly hours
QP76A-B/ QC44A-B How many hours would you say he/ she spends playing these games on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Parents of children aged 5-11 whose child plays games on a games console, PC or laptop etc and children aged 12-15 (VARIABLE BASE).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

56

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Time spent listening to the radio does not differ by age

Unlike other media used at home, the estimated time spent listening to radio at home does
not vary across the age groups, as shown in Figure 33. There has also been no change in
the time spent listening to radio at home, for any age group of child, since 2012.
In 2013, there are no differences by gender at an overall level, or within age, or across the
four socio-economic groups. Since 2012, however, children aged 5-15 in DE households
now spend more hours per week listening to radio (8.1 vs. 6.1 hours).
Figure 33: Estimated weekly hours of radio consumption, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011,
2012 and 2013
6.3
6
6.3

Aged 5-15

6.2

2007

6.8
5.8

Aged 5-7

5.8

2009

5.8

2011

4.8
6.2

2012

5.4
5.3

Aged 8-11

2013

5.6
6.0
6.3
7.6
6.7

Aged 12-15

7.6
6.6
7.5
0

12

16

20

24

Weekly hours
QP23A-B/QC8A-B How many hours would you say he/ she listens to the radio on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Parents of children aged 5-11 who listen to the radio at home and children aged 12-15 who listen to the radio at home (VARIABLE BASE).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

57

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Mobile phone users aged 12-15 are sending more text messages compared to
2012
Parents of children aged 3-7, and children aged 8-11 and 12-15, 35 were asked about the
volume of calls made, and text messages sent, through their mobile phone in a typical
week 36. Those with a smartphone were also asked about the number of instant messages
(IM) sent using their phone in a typical week 37.
As in 2012, mobile phone consumption (voice calls, text messages) is greater for children
aged 12-15 than for 8-11s. 38
Since 2012, the estimated volume of calls made using a mobile phone in a typical week has
not changed for 8-11s (ten calls per week) or for 12-15s (21 calls). Girls and boys aged 1215 39 make a similar number of calls in a typical week, and no particular socio-economic
group makes a higher or lower volume of calls.
Compared to 2012, the estimated volume of text messages is unchanged for 8-11s, with an
average of 54 text messages sent in a typical week. But 12-15s are sending more text
messages in a typical week (255 vs. 193 texts). This increase since 2012 is not specifically
attributable to either boys or girls.
Among those aged 12-15 with a smartphone, an estimated 184 instant messages (IM) are
sent in a typical week. This volume of instant messages is equivalent to the volume of text
messages sent by all 12-15s in 2012.
In 2011 and 2012, girls aged 12-15 sent more messages in a typical week than boys. This
gender difference is not, however, seen among 12-15s in 2013. No particular socioeconomic group sends a higher or lower volume of texts, compared to all 5-15s with a
mobile phone.
Girls and boys with a smartphone send similar numbers of instant messages in a typical
week, and no particular socio-economic group has a higher or lower volume of instant
messaging.

35

Since 2011 children aged 8-11 have been asked to estimate the volume of calls they make and text
messages they send. Previously, these questions were asked of their parents.
36
Figure 34 shows only data relating to 8-11s and 12-15, as there are few 5-7s (19) and 3-4s (5) with
their own mobile phone to report on.
37
In 2011 children and parents were asked to include any messages that were sent via any instant
messaging (IM) applications such as Ping or BlackBerry Messenger (BBMs) in their estimates of text
messages, whereas in previous years the wording of the questions referred only to text messages.
Since 2012 the question regarding text messages has asked users to exclude instant messaging from
estimates, with a separate question about the volume of instant messages asked of those with a
smartphone.
38
Due to a relatively low base of 8-11s with a smartphone (99) in 2013 it is not possible to show any
data for this age group at an overall level.
39
It is not possible to conduct analysis by gender among 8-11s with a mobile phone due to low base
sizes for boys (82).

58

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 34: Weekly calls made, text messages sent and instant messages sent by
users, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013

Aged 8-11

Mobile
phone calls
made

7
8
6
10
10
14

Aged 12-15

25
16
21
21

2007
2009
2011**

21
22
23

Aged 8-11

2012***
2013

41
54

Text
messages
sent

54
104
91

Aged 12-15

193
255

Smartphone
users IMs Aged 12-15
sent

187
184

Weekly counts

QP63A-B/ /QC45A-B/QP64A-B/QC46A-B/QP65/QC47/QP66/QC48 How many calls/ texts would you say he/ she makes/ sends using his/ her mobile phone on a typical
school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Parents of children aged 5-7 whose child has their own mobile phone and children aged 8-11with their own mobile phone (VARIABLE BASE) significance testing
shows any differences between 2012 and 2013 ** IN 2011 VOLUMES OF CALLS AND TEXTS WERE ASKED OF CHILDREN AGED 8-11 RATHER THAN THEIR
PARENTS, AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS QUESTION WORDING AMENDED TO ALSO INCLUDE MESSAGES SENT THROUGH INSTANT MESSAGING APPLICATIONS
SUCH AS PING OR BBMS. *** IN 2012 QUESTION WORDING AMENDED TO EXCLUDE INSTANT MESSAGING APPLICATIONS AS THIS WAS ASKED SEPARATELY
(ALSO SHOWN)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 35: Weekly calls made, text messages sent and instant messages sent by
users, by gender within age: 2012 and 2013
0

Mobile phone
calls made

Boys aged 12-15

Girls aged 12-15

Text
messages
sent

Boys aged 12-15

20

40

2012

20

2013

21

2012

23

2013

22

2012

60

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280

164
238

2013
221

2012

Girls aged 12-15

272

2013

Smartphone
users IMs
sent

Boys aged 12-15

2012
2013
2012

Girls aged 12-15

2013

163
157
205
209

Weekly counts
QP63A-B/ /QC45A-B/QP64A-B/QC46A-B/QP65/QC47/QP66/QC48 How many calls/ texts would you say you make/ send using your mobile phone on a
typical school day/ on a weekend day? How many of these types of instant messages would you say you send on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Children aged 8-15 with their own mobile phone (VARIABLE BASE). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

59

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In 2012, 12-15s with a smartphone made more calls in a typical week than those with a nonsmartphone (24 vs. 15 calls). This is no longer the case in 2013, as those with a smartphone
now make a comparable number of calls in a typical week (22 vs. 20 calls for those with a
non-smartphone).
In 2013, 12-15s with a smartphone continue to send a higher volume of text messages in a
typical week (289 vs. 154).
Compared to 2012, the volume of calls made and text messages sent in a typical week by
12-15s has not changed, either among smartphone users or non-smartphone users.
Figure 36: Weekly calls made and text messages sent by 12-15s with a smartphone
and a non-smartphone: 2012 and 2013
0

Mobile
phone
calls
made

20

40

2012

24

2013

22

60

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300

Smartphone users

Non-smartphone users

2012
2013

Text
messages Smartphone users
sent
Non-smartphone users

15
20

230

2012

289

2013
2012
2013

98
154
Weekly counts

QP63A-B/ /QC45A-B/QP64A-B/QC46A-B How many calls/ texts would you say you make/ send using your mobile phone on a typical school day/ on a
weekend day? How many of these types of instant messages would you say you send on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Children aged 12-15 with their own mobile phone ( 349 with a smartphone in 2012, 356 with a smartphone in 2013 ,141 non-smartphone users in
2012, 111 non- smartphone users in 2013 ) - Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

As shown in Figure 37, while 12-15s with a smartphone on a monthly contract make more
calls in a typical week than those on a pay-as-you-go tariff (27 calls vs. 17), they send the
same volume of text messages and instant messages.

60

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 37: Weekly calls made and text messages sent by 12-15s with a smartphone by
tariff type: 2013

Mobile
phone
calls
made

Text
messages
sent

Instant
messages
sent

Contract/ postpay
PAYG/ Prepay

20

40

60

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340 360 380 400

27
17

311

Contract/ postpay
271

PAYG/ Prepay

Contract/ postpay
PAYG/ Prepay

192
176

Weekly counts
QP63A-B/ /QC45A-B/QP64A-B/QC46A-B/QP65/QC47/QP66/QC48 How many calls/ texts would you say you make/ send using your mobile phone on a
typical school day/ on a weekend day? How many of these types of instant messages would you say you send on a typical school day/ on a weekend day?
Base: Children aged 12-15 with their own mobile phone (171 with a smartphone on a postpay tariff, 182 on a prepay tariff) - Significance testing shows any
differences between these two groups
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

61

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Affinity with media activities

Twice as many 12-15s continue to say they would miss using a mobile phone
most, compared to the next most-missed medium
Television continues to be the medium that children aged 5-15 say they would miss the
most, out of all the activities undertaken regularly. However, there are differences by age: 57s are most likely to say they would miss television (57%), as are 8-11s (42%).
Children aged 12-15 are most likely to say they would miss their mobile phone (39%). As in
2012, children aged 12-15 are now twice as likely to say they would miss their mobile phone,
compared to the next most-missed media: using the internet (19%), and watching television
(19%).
Affinity with media activities does not vary by socio-economic group in 2013. Among all
children aged 5-15, media affinity is unchanged since 2012. But children aged 8-11 are now
more likely to say they would miss using the internet, compared to 2012 (15% vs. 10%), as
shown in Figure 39.
Figure 38: Media activity children aged 5-15 would miss the most: 2007, 2009, 2011,
2012 and 2013
%
Watch TV

34
46

44

38

38

Play computer or video

games
Use the internet/ go
online
Use a mobile phone

23
20
16

Watch videos/ DVDs

19
16

13

18

13

14

Read magazines/
comics/ newspapers

12

11

11

4
3

5
3

2007

2009

16

17

5
4
4

4
3

4
3
3

2011

2012

2013

13

Listen to an MP3
player like an iPod
Listen to radio

None of these

QC53 Which one of the things you do almost every day, would you miss doing the most if it got taken away?(Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 (3696 in 2007, 2131 in 2009, 1717 in 2011, 1717 in 2012, 1689 in 2013) significance testing show any difference
between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

62

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 39: Media activity children would miss the most, by age: 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012
and 2013
Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15
Watch TV
18
28

39
48
58

53

57

51

46

47

20

19
Play computer or
video games

32

42
18

15

16

21

19

64

Use the internet/ go

online

12
Use a mobile phone

16
25

25

22

10
7

10

12

2
3

2009

2011

2007

Read magazines/
comics/ newspapers

20

18
4

20

19
23

Watch videos/ DVDs

23

22

19
25

18

11

4
2012

4
2013

5
3
4
2007

13

15
10
25

5
3

5
3

4
4

2009

2011

2012

2013

28

39

39

24

Listen to an MP3
player like an iPod
Listen to radio

2007

2009

2011

4
2012

None of these

2013

QC53 Which one of the things you do almost every day, would you miss doing the most if it got taken away?(Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 (985 aged 5-7 in 2007, 576 aged 5-7 in 2009, 573 aged 5-7 in 2011, 570 aged 5-7 in 2012, 533 aged 5-7 in 2013, 1354
aged 8-11 in 2007, 774 aged 8-11 in 2009, 586 aged 8-11 in 2011, 575 aged 8-11 in 2012, 587 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1357 aged 12-15 in 2007, 781
aged 12-15 in 2009, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 572 aged 12-15 in 2012, 569 aged 12-15 in 2013) significance testing show any difference between
2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

As shown in Figure 40, when comparing by gender, boys in each age group are more likely
than girls to say they would most miss playing computer games (28% vs. 12% for 5-7s, 28%
vs. 8% for 8-11s and 29% vs. 3% for 12-15s). There are no activities that girls aged 5-7 are
more likely to miss, compared to boys of this age.
Girls aged 8-11 are more likely than boys to miss using a mobile phone (10% vs. 5%) and to
miss listening to an MP3 player (4% vs. 1%). Close to half of girls aged 12-15 say they
would miss their mobile phone the most; this is considerably higher than for boys (48% vs.
29%). They are also more likely to miss watching videos/ DVDs (3% vs. 0%).

63

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 40: Media activity children would miss the most, by gender within age: 2013
%

Watch TV
18

41

20

43

54
61

29

18

Play computer or
video games
Use the internet/ go
online
Use a mobile phone

8
Watch videos/ DVDs
28

19
16
48

28

12
7

3
9

Boys aged 5-7

13

10
6

5
3
2

Girls aged 5-7

Boys aged 8-11

Girls aged 8-11

Read magazines/
comics/ newspapers
Listen to an MP3
player like an iPod

29
Listen to radio

3
4
3

None of these

Boys aged 12-15 Girls aged 12-15

QC53 Which one of the things you do almost every day, would you miss doing the most if it got taken away?(Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 (267 boys aged 5-7, 266 girls aged 5-7, 290 boys aged 8-11, 297 girls aged 8-11, 277 boys aged 12-15, 292 girls aged 1215). Significance testing show any difference between boys and girls in each age group
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 41 looks at the most-missed media among 12-15s by the type of mobile phone they
have. Half of those with a smartphone (51%) say they would miss using a mobile phone the
most, compared to one in five of those with a non-smartphone (19%). In contrast, those with
a non-smartphone are more than twice as likely to miss watching television (31% v. 12%).

64

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 41: Media activity mobile phone users aged 12-15 would miss the most, by type
of mobile phone owned: 2013
%

Watch TV

12

17

14

31

Play computer or video

games

16
Use the internet/ go
online

19
18

23

Use a mobile phone

Watch videos/ DVDs

17
Read magazines/
comics/ newspapers

51

43

19

All aged 12-15 with a mobile

phone

All aged 12-15 with a

smartphone

All aged 12-15 with a nonsmartphone

Listen to an MP3 player

like an iPod
Listen to radio

None of these

QC53 Which one of the things you do almost every day, would you miss doing the most if it got taken away? (Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 with a mobile phone (467 aged 12-15 with a mobile phone, 356 aged 12-15 with a smartphone, 111 aged 12-15 with a
non-smartphone). Significance testing shows any difference between those with a smartphone and those with a non-smartphone
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Cross-media multi-tasking
More than one in three girls aged 12-15 multi-task across media most times
when watching television
Since 2012, children aged 8-15 who watch television at home were asked to say whether
they go online (using any type of device) or use their mobile phone to talk or send messages
while they are watching television at home on a TV set. Children aged 8-15 who go online at
home were subsequently asked whether they watched television or used a mobile phone (to
talk or send messages) while they were online. To complete the picture, children aged 8-15
with a mobile phone were asked whether they watched television or went online at home
while using their mobile. These questions were added to the study to understand the extent
to which children multi-task across the media they use 40.
One in three 8-15s (36%) with a mobile phone, who watch television and go online at home,
undertake any type of cross-media multi-tasking most times when using these media, as
they did in 2012 (34%). This continues to be more likely for 12-15s than for 8-11s (42% vs.
20%).
Figure 42 shows that one in four children (26%) aged 8-15 who use a mobile phone, watch
television and go online at home, multi-task most times while watching TV. The same
proportion of children multi-task while online at home (26%). Both these types of multitasking are more likely than any multi-tasking most times while using a mobile phone.
40

Children were also asked how frequently they multi-tasked; whether they did this most times,
sometimes or not at all. We are reporting on most times rather than ever as we want to establish
the extent to which multitasking is an inherent part of childrens media consumption experience.

65

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

As with the incidence of any cross-media multi-tasking, each type of multi-tasking is more
likely among 12-15s than among 8-11s (33% vs. 11% do it most times when watching TV,
31% vs. 13% when going online and 23% vs. 6% when using a mobile phone).
There is only one difference by gender within age; girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys
to multi-task most times when watching television (38% vs. 27%). This difference was also
apparent in 2012. As in 2012, there are no differences by socio-economic group.
There has been no change since 2012 in the incidence of each type of multi-tasking for any
of the groups shown in Figure 42.
Figure 42: Incidence of multitasking while watching television, being online or using
a mobile phone, by age, gender and socio-economic group: 2012- 2013
%

27
22
22

23
20
22

20

19

15

16

33
31

18

12

18
29

28

24

28
21

22
21

Aged
8-11

33

37
27

Aged
12-15

38

27

24

Boys
12-15

Girls
12-15

25

30

25

AB

23

19

C1

26

C2

31

Most times
when watching
TV

2013

2012

2013

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2012

2013

2012

Aged
8-15

32

11

10

2013

25

13

Most times
when going
online (using
any device)

25

26

25

26

19

2012

23

20

16

34

31

26

Most times
when using a
mobile phone
(for calls or
texts/
messaging)

DE

QC6/ QC40/ QC51 Thinking about when you watch TV at home on a TV set, do you ever (watch TV. Thinking about when you watch TV at home on a TV set,
do you ever ./ Thinking about when you use your phone for calls, texts or instant messages at home, do you ever.(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use a mobile phone and watch television and go online at home (710 aged 8-15 in 2012 632 aged 8-15 in 2013, 228 aged 8-11 in
2012, 176 aged 8-11 in 2013, 482 aged 12-15 in 2012, 456 aged 12-15 in 2013, 239 boys aged 12-15 in 2012, 219 boys aged 12-15 in 2013, 243 girls aged 12-15 in
2012, 237 girls aged 12-15 in 2013, 123 AB in 2012, 118 AB in 2013, 202 C1 in 2012, 191 C1 in 2013, 168 C2 in 2012, 138 C2 in 2013, 217 DE in 2012, 185 DE in
2013) significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Types of activity carried out on a mobile phone

Children aged 12-15 with a mobile phone are now more likely to use their
phone at least weekly for watching videos/ clips on sites like YouTube
Children aged 8-15 with their own mobile phone were prompted with a range of types of use
and were asked to say which they ever did with their mobile phone.

66

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 43 shows the proportion of children aged 8-11 and 12-15 who have ever carried out
the top ten of these 21 activities with their mobile phone 41.
In 2013 the majority of 8-11s have ever used their phone for three activities: sending or
receiving texts (94%), making or receiving calls (91%) and taking photos (55%). Half have
ever used their mobile phone to play games (50%). Around four in ten have sent or received
photos (44%) or used their phone to listen to music (42%). All other activities have ever been
undertaken by around one in three, or fewer, 8-11s. One mobile phone activity undertaken
by 8-11s is less likely since 2012: taking videos (32% vs. 43%) while two activities, not
shown in Figure 43, are more likely: playing games over the internet (19% vs. 11%) and
putting photos or videos on sites like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram 42 for others to see
(11% vs. 3%).
Among 12-15s with a mobile phone, there are 11 activities that a majority have ever used
their mobile phone for, some of which have increased in popularity since 2012. These are:
making or receiving calls (96%), sending or receiving texts (96%), taking photos (87%),
listening to music (78%), sending/ receiving photos (77%; an increase on 65% in 2012),
playing games on the phone (69% vs. 62%), taking videos (64%), visiting websites (60%),
visiting social networking sites (57%), sending/ receiving video clips (54%) and looking at
videos or clips posted by other people on sites like YouTube (51% vs. 37%).
In addition, there are five activities ever undertaken by a minority of 12-15s in 2013 which
have increased in popularity since 2012: putting photos or videos on sites like YouTube,
Facebook or Instagram 43 for others to see (41% vs. 22%), playing games over the internet
(38% vs. 27%), watching TV programmes or clips (36% vs. 26%), sending/ receiving emails
(35% vs. 28%) and sending/ receiving Twitter updates (31% vs. 20%).
As in 2012, the types of activity ever undertaken on a mobile phone do not vary by socioeconomic group in 2013.

41

Figure 43 shows the top ten of the 21 activities that were asked about. The remaining 11 activities
ever undertaken by mobile phone users aged 8-11 and 12-15 are: look at videos or clips posted by
other people on sites like YouTube (17% 8-11, 51% 12-15), use Instant Messaging applications (17%
vs. 48%), download apps/ applications (18%, 44%), use their phone to put photos or videos on sites
like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram for others to see (11% , 41%), play games over the internet
using their phone (19%, 38%), watch TV programmes or clips (15%, 36%), send or receive emails
(11%, 35%), use their phone to share music with friends (7%, 34%), send or receive Twitter updates
using their phone (5%, 31%), make or receive telephone or video calls over the internet using
services like Skype or FaceTime (6%, 26%) and, update their location on a service like FourSquare or
Facebook (4%, 23%).
42
This increase since 2012 could be attributable to the wording used. In 2012 it referred only to sites
like YouTube and this definition was expanded on, in 2013 to include Facebook and Instagram.
43
As footnote 41 above.

67

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 43: Top ten mobile phone activities ever carried out by owners, by age: 2013
Aged 8-11
Send/
receive
texts

Aged 12-15
Make/
receive
calls

Take
photos

Listen to
music

Send/
receive
photos

% point change
since 2012
100%

94% 96%

Play
games
(loaded
on
phone)

+12

+7

Take
videos

Visit
websites

Send or
receive
video clips

Visit social
networking
sites

-11

96%
91%

87%
78%

80%

77%
69%
64%

60%

60%

55%
42%

40%

44%
32%
27%

20%

57%

54%

50%

25%
16%

0%

QC49A-U Do you use your mobile phone to do any of these? (prompted responses, single coded) - Only shows top 10 activities ever undertaken
across all 8-15s with their own mobile phone
Base: Children aged 8-15 with their own mobile phone (238 aged 8-11 in 2012, 188 aged 8-11 in 2013 and 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 467 aged 12-15
in 2013) significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Children were also asked to say how often they did these activities. Figure 44 shows the
proportion of children aged 8-11 and 12-15 who carry out the top ten of the 21 activities with
their mobile phone at least once a week 44.
There are only two activities that are regularly 45 undertaken by a majority of both 8-11s and
12-15s: sending/ receiving text messages (72% 8-11s, 91% 12-15s) and making/ receiving
calls (61% 8-11s, 79% 12-15s). The results in Figure 44 show that 12-15s are more likely
than 8-11s to use their phone regularly for a wide range of activities.
Regular activities among 8-11s are broadly unchanged since 2012, but this age group are
now more likely to use their phone to look at videos/ clips posted by other people on sites
like YouTube (12% vs. 5% in 2012), and to play games over the internet using their phone
(10% vs. 4%).
Children aged 12-15 are now more likely than in 2012 to use their mobile phone regularly for
five activities: looking at videos or clips posted by other people on sites like YouTube (39%
vs. 27% in 2012), sending/ receiving photos (36% vs. 26%), putting photos or videos on sites
44

Figure 44 shows weekly use of the top ten of the 21 activities that we asked about. The remaining
11 activities undertaken at least weekly by mobile phone users aged 8-11 and 12-15 are: take videos
(12%, 26%), download apps/ applications (8%, 25%), put photos or videos on sites like YouTube,
Facebook or Instagram for others to see (4%, 26%), play games over the internet using their phone
(10%, 20%),send or receive Twitter updates using their phone (2%, 22%), send or receive emails
(6%, 19%), watch TV programmes or clips (6%, 18%), use their phone to share music with friends
(3%, 19%), make or receive telephone or video calls over the internet using services like Skype or
FaceTime (5%, 16%), send or receive video clips (8%, 14%) and update their location on a service
like FourSquare or Facebook (0%, 11%).
45
In this context, regularly refers to undertaking the activity at least once a week.

68

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram for others to see 46 (26% vs. 12%), sending/ receiving
Twitter updates (22% vs. 16%) and watching TV programmes or clips (18% vs. 12%). There
is only one activity that 12-15s are now less likely than in 2012 to undertake regularly on
their phone: updating their location on services like FourSquare or check in on Facebook
(11% vs. 16% in 2012).
In 2013, there are two differences by gender among 12-15s. Girls are more likely to use their
phone on a regular basis to listen to music (72% vs. 60%) and to take photos (69% vs.
52%).
There are few differences by socio-economic group in 2013: children aged 8-15 in AB
households are more likely than all children aged 8-15 to use their phone on a regular basis
to send/ receive emails (24% vs. 15%) while children in DE households are less likely to use
their phone to make/ receive calls (63% vs. 74%).
Figure 44: Top ten mobile phone activities carried out at least once a week by owners,
by age: 2013
Aged 8-11
Send/
receive
texts

Aged 12-15
Make/
receive
calls

Listen to
music

Take
photos

Play
games
(loaded
on
phone)

Visit social
networking
sites

Visit
websites

Use IM
apps

% point change
since 2012

Look at
videos or
clips posted
by other
people on
sites like
YouTube
+7

Send/
receive
photos

+12

+10

100%

91%
80%

79%
72%
66%
61%

61%

60%

53%
47%

40%

32%

20%

33%

44%

43%

39%

36%

33%

12%

13%

13%

12%

16%

0%

QC49A-U Do you use your mobile phone to do any of these? (prompted responses, single coded) - Only shows top 10 activities undertaken at
least once a week across all 8-15s with their own mobile phone
Base: Children aged 8-15 with their own mobile phone (238 aged 8-11 in 2012, 188 aged 8-11 in 2013 and 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 467 aged 12-15
in 2013) significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

46

As footnote 41.

69

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children aged 12-15 with a smartphone continue to use their phone for a much
broader range of activities.
Figure 45 shows the top ten weekly activities undertaken by children aged 12-15 with a
smartphone, compared to those aged 12-15 with a non-smartphone 47.
Smartphone users are more likely to undertake 18 of the 21 activities that we asked about at
least weekly. The three activities that both non-smartphone and smartphone users are
equally likely to undertake weekly are: send/ receive texts (92% smartphone users vs. 88%
non-smartphone users), make/ receive calls (81% vs. 73%) and send/ receive photos (38%
vs. 27%)
In terms of online activities undertaken by smartphone users aged 12-15, social networking
is the most popular, with 66% doing this at least weekly. This is followed by 54% saying they
use instant messaging and 54% saying they visit websites in general.
Where it is possible to make a comparison, in 2013 48, 12-15s with a smartphone are more
likely to use their phone at least weekly for four activities: looking at videos or clips posted by
other people on sites like YouTube (50% vs. 36%), sending/ receiving photos (38% vs.
30%), putting photos or videos on sites like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram for others to
see 49 (33% vs. 17%) and watching TV programmes or clips (23% vs. 16%). The only activity
that 12-15s with a smartphone are less likely to do is updating their location via a service like
FourSquare (13% vs. 22%).

47

It is not possible also to compare those aged 8-11 with a smartphone to those aged 8-11 with a
non-smartphone due to low base sizes among 8-11s with a smartphone (99 children) and with a nonsmartphone (89 children).
48
It is not possible to make comparisons between 2012 and 2013 for make or receive telephone or
video calls over the internet using sevices like Skype or FaceTime and share music with friends (e.g.
through Apps that let you share playlists or tag particular tracks) as these were added to the
questionnaire in 2013.
49
Please refer to footnote 41.

70

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 45: Top ten mobile phone activities carried out at least once a week, by
children aged 12-15 with a smartphone, and by children aged 12-15 with a nonsmartphone: 2013
All 12-15s with a smartphone
Send/
receive
texts

100%

92%

Make/
receive
calls

All 12-15s with a non-smartphone

Listen to
music

Take
photos

Visit social
networking
sites

Play
games
(loaded
on
phone)

Visit
websites

52%

54%

Use
Instant
Messenger

Look at
videos or
clips posted
by other
people on
sites like
YouTube

Send/
receive
photos

88%
81%

80%

73%

72%
66%

64%

60%

52%

54%

50%

47%

38%

40%
29%

20%

14%

27%

11%

10%

6%

0%
QC49A-U Do you use your mobile phone to do any of these? (prompted responses, single coded) - Only shows top 10 activities undertaken at least
once a week across all 12-15s with their own mobile phone- top ten responses shown
Base: Children aged 12-15 with their own mobile phone (356 aged 12-15 with a smartphone, 111 aged 12-15 with a non-smarpthone). Significance
testing shows any differences between these two groups
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 46 summarises the frequency with which children aged 8-11 and 12-15 use their
mobile phone to communicate with others, through means other than calls, text messages or
email. In 2013, children aged 12-15 are nearly four times more likely than 8-11s to use
instant messaging (IM) applications on their phone, most days (35% for 12-15s vs. 8% for 811s). Half of all 12-15s with a mobile phone have ever used IM applications (48%) as have
around one in six 8-11s (17%). There are no differences by gender among 12-15s in their
frequency of IM use on a mobile phone.
Using a mobile phone to make or receive video calls over the internet using services like
Skype or FaceTime is more likely to have ever been undertaken by 12-15s than by 8-11s
(26% vs. 6%). It is, however, less likely that 8-11s and 12-15s will have used these types of
services on their mobile phone, compared to their use of IM applications.
Compared to boys, girls aged 12-15, while no more likely to make/ receive calls through
Skype/ FaceTime most days, are more likely to do so once or twice a week (11% vs. 5%).

71

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 46: Frequency of using a mobile phone for instant messaging and for Skype/
FaceTime, by age: 2013
%

%
Make or receive telephone or video calls over
the internet using services like Skype or
FaceTime

Use Instant Messaging applications such as

BlackBerry Messenger/ BBM, Apple iMessage,
Whats App, Yahoo Messenger, Viber or Skype

52
48
5
9

44
5

5
8

% ever

28
26

Not much

17
4
6

35

Once or
twice a
week

30

8
Aged
8-11

10

39

Most days
Aged
12-15

Boys
aged
12-15

Girls
aged
12-15

6
1
2
3
Aged
8-11

24

11
11

Aged
12-15

Boys
aged
12-15

Girls
aged
12-15

QC49Q/ R Do you use your mobile phone to do any of these? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 with their own mobile phone (188 aged 8-11, 467 aged 12-15, 223 boys aged 12-15, 244 girls aged 12-15) Significance testing shows
any difference between boys and girls aged 12-15
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

72

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Breadth of internet activities carried out at home in a typical week

Parents of 3-4s, 50 and children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home, were prompted with
a range of internet activities and asked to say which they ever do online, and how often they
do them 51. In 2013, children were asked about 21 different internet activities.
These individual uses have been grouped into 11 types of use, to assess breadth of use of
the internet and to enable comparison. These 11 types of use are:

Schoolwork/ homework.
Information relates to general surfing/ browsing/ looking around the internet, going to
the Wikipedia website, visiting blogs.
Games relates to playing games on websites or online.
Watch audiovisual content relates to watching or downloading TV programmes or films
on websites like BBC iPlayer, 4OD, ITV Player or Sky Player, watching or downloading
videos made by people/ the general public on sites like YouTube, watching or
downloading music videos.
Social networking relates to going to social networking websites like Facebook,
Google+, Twitter, Tumblr or Hi5.
Other communication relates to sending or receiving emails, instant messaging,
making or receiving telephone or video calls using services like Skype and FaceTime52.
Music relates to downloading or playing music.
Avatar sites relates to going to websites where users can create or play with a
character in the online world, like Club Penguin, Moshi Monsters, Movie Star Planet or
Binweevils
News relates to going to sites about news and what is going on in the world.
Radio relates to listening to radio over the internet.
Transactions relates to buying things online or selling things online.

Younger children are most likely to use the internet for games, while older
children are most likely to use it for homework and for information
Figure 47 shows the proportion of internet users who participate in each of the categories
above at least weekly.
Among 3-4s, games are the most commonly-mentioned online activity carried out at least
weekly by a majority (58%). One in four watch audio-visual content (24%) and one in six
(17%) use avatar sites. Fourteen per cent use the internet weekly for schoolwork or
homework, and no other activities are undertaken weekly by more than one in ten 3-4s.
Among 5-7s, games are also the most commonly-mentioned internet activity carried out at
least weekly (47%), followed by schoolwork/ homework (42%) and avatar sites (21%). A

50

Parents of children aged 3-4 were asked whether their child did the activity on their own or with
someone to help them. In 2013, 5-7s were asked whether they had someone to help them with these
activities: this had not previously been asked.
51
These activities do not represent an exhaustive list of all the potential activities that children can
undertake online.
52
Prior to 2013, making or receiving telephone or video calls using services like Skype or FaceTime
only referred to telephone calls (and not video calls) on Skype and did not reference FaceTime. This
may affect the responses given and any trend data for this particular online activity.

73

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

similar proportion of 5-7s go online weekly for information (17%) or for watching audiovisual
content (17%).
Among 8-11s, schoolwork/ homework is the most commonly-mentioned internet activity
carried out at least weekly (75%), followed by games (54%) and information (45%). Among
12-15s, schoolwork/ homework is the most commonly-mentioned internet activity (84%),
followed by information (79%) social networking (68%) and watching audiovisual content
(68%). A majority of 12-15s also go online weekly for other communication (66%), for games
(54%) and for music (53%).
Among 5-15s, the only type of use which is equally likely across each age group is games
(47% for 5-7s, 54% for 8-11s, 54% for 12-15s). Children aged 3-4 are more likely than 5-7s
to go online weekly to play games (58% vs. 47%). None of the 11 types of use are more
likely among 5-7s than among 8-11s, but both 5-7s and 8-11s are more likely than 12-15s to
use avatar sites (21% for 5-7s, 27% for 8-11s vs. 12% for 12-15s).
Internet users aged 8-11 are more likely than 5-7s to carry out eight of the 11 types of use at
least weekly. The two types of use with the greatest difference between the 8-11s and the 57s are schoolwork/ homework (75% vs. 42%) and information (45% vs. 17%).
Internet users aged 12-15 are more likely than 8-11s to carry out nine of the 11 types of use
at least weekly. The five types of use with the greatest difference between 12-15s and 8-11s
are social networking (68% vs. 16%), other communication (66% vs. 27%), music (53% vs.
18%), information (79% vs. 45%), and watching audiovisual content (68% vs. 36%).
There are few differences between boys and girls in 2013. There are no differences between
boys and girls weekly internet use for any of these categories among 3-4s or 5-7s, and
there is only one difference among 8-11s, with girls being more likely than boys to use avatar
sites (34% vs. 21%). The reverse is true for 12-15s: boys are more likely than girls to visit
avatar sites weekly (16% vs. 8%). As in 2012, boys aged 12-15 are also more likely to use
the internet at least weekly for games (67% vs. 41%), but this difference is not found among
younger children.
There are also limited differences by socio-economic group in the types of use made of the
internet at least weekly. Children aged 5-15 in AB households are less likely than all internet
users to use the internet at least weekly for social networking (26% vs. 34%), while those in
DE households are more likely (40% vs. 34%). Those in C2 households are more likely to go
online at least weekly for transactions (6% vs. 3%).

74

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 47: Types of use of the internet by users at least weekly, by age: 2013
Transactions

Radio

12
28
12

News

53
Avatar sites
68
Music

15
20
30

Social
networking

34

Other
communication

39

Watch audio
visual content

45
52

Games
17
Information
School work/
home work

8
27
18
16
27

24
58

53
72

14
Aged
3-4

Aged
5-15

36
21
17
47
17

66

68
54

54
79
45
75

84

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

42
Aged
5-7

QC14A-U When youre at home, do you use the internet on any type of computer, mobile phone or games player to do any of these things? (prompted
responses, single coded) PERCENTAGES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE THAT UNDERTAKE ACTIVITY AT LEAST WEEKLY
Base: Children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4, 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15).
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

75

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Individual internet activities carried out

12-15s are less likely to use the internet weekly for social networking and more
likely to use it for instant messaging
Figure 48 breaks down the top ten individual internet activities undertaken at least weekly at
an overall level (by all 5-15s) for 3-4s, 5-7s, 8-11s and 12-15s, and shows any changes
since 2012 for those activities where comparisons are possible.
Since 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of any of the top ten individual
internet activities shown in Figure 48 for users aged 5-7. While not shown (as it falls outside
the top ten weekly online activities) 5-7s are now less likely to use the internet at least
weekly for avatar websites (21% vs. 33%). The incidence of the other individual internet
activities carried out at least weekly among 5-7s is unchanged since 2012.
Among 8-11s, users are now more likely to use the internet at least weekly for schoolwork/
homework (75% vs. 67%). Although this is not shown in Figure 48, they are also more likely
to use the internet weekly for making/receiving telephone or video calls using services like
Skype or FaceTime53 (10% vs. 5%) and for going to photo sharing websites like Flickr,
Instagram or Snapfish (5% vs. 2%). As with 5-7s, 8-11s are also less likely in 2013 than in
2012 to visit avatar sites weekly (27% vs. 36%) and to visit blogs (1% vs. 3%).
Two of the top ten individual activities are more likely in 2013 than in 2012 for users aged
12-15: playing games on websites or online (54% vs. 47%) and instant messaging (55% vs.
45%). But compared to 2012, 12-15s are now less likely to go online at least weekly for
social networking (67% vs. 75%). While not shown in Figure 48 (as they are not in the top
ten online activities), there are a further four online activities that children aged 12-15 are
now more likely to undertake on a weekly basis than in 2012: go to sites about news and
what is going on in the world (28% vs. 21%), make or receive telephone or video calls using
services like Skype or FaceTime54 (22% vs. 13%), go to photo sharing websites like Flickr,
Instagram or Snapfish (23% vs. 6%), and send/ receive Twitter updates (21% vs. 11%).
Children aged 12-15 are now less likely to go online at least weekly for sending emails (31%
in 2013 vs. 38% in 2012).

53
54

Please refer to footnote 52.

Please refer to footnote 52.

76

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 48: Top ten internet activities carried out at least once a week, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4**

Aged 5-7

School
work/
homework

Aged 8-11

Playing
games
online

Aged 12-15

General
surfing/
browsing

% point
change
since 2012

Watch/
download
videos made
by people/
general
public
(YouTube)

Social
Downloading
networking
or playing
websites
music

Instant
Messaging

TV channel/
programme
website

Go to the
Wikipedia
website

Watch/
download
music
videos

100%

+8
80%

84%

-8

75%
70%

+7
58%

60%

+10

67%
56%

54%54%

55%

53%

47%
42%
36%

40%

20%

14%

14%
7%

36%

35%
29%

27%
15%

11%
9%

18%
5% 6%

1% 1%

30%

20%21%

19%

15%
2% 1%

14%
4%
0%

3% 5%

0%

QC14A-U When youre at home, do you go online to do any of these things? Please think about going online on any type of computer, mobile phone, games player or
media player (prompted responses, single coded) PERCENTAGES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE THAT UNDERTAKE ACTIVITY AT LEAST WEEKLY **QUESTION
ASKED OF PARENTS FOR 3-4S AND CHILDREN AGED 5-15
Base: Parents of 3-4s and children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (219 parents of 3-4s, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012,
381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any change between
2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 49 shows the top ten individual internet activities ever undertaken by 5-15s, by how
frequently they undertake these activities. Figure 50 then shows this broken out by age and
also shows any change since 2012, within age.
The top four activities ever undertaken by 5-15s are the same as the top four weekly
activities: schoolwork or homework, playing games, general surfing/ browsing, and watching/
downloading videos made by people/ the general public on sites like YouTube. While
emailing does not feature in the most popular weekly activities, it is the ninth most popular
activity ever undertaken among users aged 5-15.
Among internet users aged 3-4, as was the case for weekly use, the individual online
activities ever undertaken are predominantly playing games online (71%) and going to a TV
channels website or to particular TV programme websites (34%). While not shown in Figure
50, the next most popular activities ever undertaken are visiting avatar sites (22%) and
watching/ downloading TV programmes from broadcasters websites (21%).
Among internet users aged 5-7, none of the individual top ten internet activities ever carried
out are more likely than in 2013 than in 2012. Children aged 5-7 are less likely to have ever
visited a TV channels website or specific TV programme websites (30% vs. 41%). Users
aged 8-11 are more now likely to have ever gone online for schoolwork/ homework (92% vs.
87%), and are less likely to have ever visited social networking sites (22% vs. 29%). Users
aged 12-15 are more likely to have ever gone online to visit a TV channels website or
specific TV programme websites (54% vs. 47%) and are also less likely to have ever visited
social networking sites (75% vs. 82%).

77

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 49: Top ten internet activities ever carried out among 5-15s, by frequency of
use: 2013
Activity undertaken weekly
School
work/
homework

Playing
games
online

Activity undertaken less frequently than weekly

General
surfing/
browsing

Watch/
Downloading TV channel/ Social
download
or playing programme networking
videos
music
website
websites
made by
people/
general
public
(YouTube)

Go to the
Wikipedia
website

Send/
receive
email

Instant
Messaging

100%

86%
80%

14%
68%
64%

16%

60%

18%

52%
44%

43%

16%

40%

14%

72%
52%

40%

40%

40%

38%

6%

19%

9%

17%

22%

46%

20%

36%

30%

34%
24%

29%

23%

18%

0%

79

Figure 50: Top ten internet activities ever carried out, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4**

Aged 5-7

School
work/
homework

Aged 8-11

Playing
games
online

Aged 12-15

General
surfing/
browsing

% point
change
since 2012

Watch/
Downloading TV channel/ Social
download
or playing programme networking
videos
music
website
websites
made by
people/
general
public
(YouTube)

Go to the
Wikipedia
website

Send/
receive
email

Instant
Messaging

+5
100%

95%
92%

-7

87%
80%

71%

75%

74%
69%70%

69%

63%
60%

68%

+7

64%

59%

58%

59%
54%
46%

40%

-11
34%

39%
34%
30%

-7

36%
30%

26%

24%

22%
20% 17%

12%

18%
15%

13%
8%

9%

8%
2% 3%

2%

4%

5% 3%

0%

QC14A-U When youre at home, do you go online to do any of these things? Please think about going online on any type of computer, mobile phone, games player or
media player (prompted responses, single coded) PERCENTAGES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE THAT EVER UNDERTAKE ACTIVITY **QUESTION ASKED OF 80
PARENTS FOR 3-4S AND CHILDREN AGED 5-15
Base: Parents of 3-4s and children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (219 parents of 3-4s, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012,
381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any change between
2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

78

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There has been no change since 2013 in the incidence of watching/

downloading user-generated content online among 8-15s
Close to three in ten 8-11s (27%) and half of 12-15s (52%) say they ever watch or download
TV programmes or films from broadcasters websites. 55 Both 8-11s and 12-15s are more
likely to have ever done this, compared to 5-7s (15%). While it is not shown in Figure 51, this
is also undertaken by one in five 3-4s who go online (21%).
As in previous years, 8-11s and 12-15s are more likely to ever watch/ download videos on
sites like YouTube than they are either to watch content on broadcasters websites or to
watch/download music videos.
There has been no change since 2012 in any of these measures for 5-7s, 8-11s or 12-15s.
As in 2012, there are no differences in the likelihood of ever having undertaken each of
these activities by gender within age (comparing boys aged 5-7 to girls aged 5-7, boys aged
8-11 to girls aged 8-11 and boys aged 12-15 to girls aged 12-15). In 2013, internet users
aged 5-15 in AB households are more likely than all 5-15s to download content from
broadcasters websites (42% vs. 35%).
Figure 51: Watching/ downloading activities ever carried out by users, by age: 2007,
2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Watch or download
videos made by people/
the general public like
on YouTube

Watch or download TV
programmes or films on
websites like BBC iPlayer, 4OD,
ITV Player or Sky Player**

Watch or download
music videos

7374
6968
5859
515251
4546
3838

21
18

5152

46

2829
22
21
20

19

2827
15
11

8 10

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

07 09 1112 13

Aged
5-7*

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7*

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7*

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QC14A-U When youre at home, do you use the internet on any type of computer, mobile phone or games player to do any of these things? (prompted
responses, single coded) PERCENTAGES SHOWN REFLECT THOSE THAT UNDERTAKE ACTIVITY EVER *Prior to 2012 children aged 5-7 were not
asked about all these activities **Prior to 2012, this question asked about watching or downloading clips or whole TV programmes or films. Comparisons are
not made with previous surveys because of this wording change.
Base: Children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013,499 aged 8-11 in 2007, 527 aged 8-11 in 2008, 582 aged
8-11 in 2009, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 1045 aged 12-15 in 2007, 615 aged 12-15 in 2008, 645 aged 12-15 in
2009, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

55

The change of wording for this question in 2012 means that the findings are not comparable with
those in previous surveys.

79

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 52 summarises the frequency with which children aged 8-11 and 12-15 go online to
communicate with others, through means other than email.
In 2013, children aged 12-15 are more likely than 8-11s to have ever gone online to do
instant messaging (IM) or to make/receive telephone or video calls using services like Skype
or FaceTime. They are also more likely than 8-11s to do this most days. Users aged 8-11
are also more likely than 5-7s to have ever undertaken both these activities and to have
undertaken them most days. Internet users aged 12-15 are more likely to have ever used
instant messaging services than they are to have ever used services like Skype/FaceTime.
There are no differences by gender among 8-11s or 12-15s in their frequency of IM use
when they go online.
Girls aged 8-11 and 12-15 are more likely than boys of the same age to have ever used
services like Skype or FaceTime (22% vs. 12% for 8-11s and 41% vs. 29% for 12-15s).
Figure 52: Frequency of going online for instant messaging and for Skype/ FaceTime,
by age: 2013
%

%
Instant Messaging (AOL Instant Messenger/ AIM/
chat function on Facebook/ Instant Message
function on Skype etc.)

Make or receive telephone or video calls using

services like Skype or FaceTime

69

68

67
12

13

14
16

14

11

41
35

10

Aged
5-7

10

6
Aged
12-15

Boys
aged
8-11

42

17
Once or twice
a week

6
11
Girls
aged
8-11

22

Not much

41

9
Aged
8-11

10

29

15

13

22
41

3
2
1

% ever

27

24

Most days
Boys
aged
12-15

Girls
aged
12-15

7
4
3
Aged
5-7

6
4
Aged
8-11

15

12

12
7
3
2

10

Boys
aged
8-11

Girls
aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

10
10

11

Boys
aged
12-15

Girls
aged
12-15

QC14B/Q When youre at home, do you go online to do any of these things? Please think about going online on any type of computer, mobile phone,
games player or media player (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 5-15 who go online at home (381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11,548 aged 12-15, 235 boys aged 8-11, 262 girls aged 8-11, 267 boys
aged 12-15, 281 girls aged 12-15) significance testing shows any differences between boys and girls, within age
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

80

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Creative, social and civic activities undertaken online

In 2013, 12-15s are less likely to have set up a social networking profile
Children aged 8-11 and 12-15 who use the internet at home were prompted with various
types of creative and civic activities associated with digital technology. For each type of
activity, they were asked if they had already done it, were interested in doing it, or were not
interested in doing it. Figure 53 shows the findings for 8-11s, while Figure 54 shows the
findings for 12-15s.
No single activity has yet been undertaken by the majority of 8-11s. The most popular
activity for this age group is creating an avatar (44%), followed by setting up a social
networking profile 56 (19%) and uploading or sharing photos on a website 57 (10%).
The majority of 12-15s have set up a profile on a social networking site (68%), making this
the most popular creative activity. This is followed by uploading or sharing photos on a
website (51%). A sizeable minority of 12-15s have experience of creating an avatar that lives
or plays in the online world (30%), making a film or video and sharing it with others online 58
(19%) and setting up their own website or blog/ weblog (16%).
Signing an online petition has been undertaken by relatively few 8-11s (1%) and 12-15s
(9%). Expressing views online about political or social issues has been undertaken by
around one in ten 12-15s (9%). 59
In 2013, 8-15s were asked about their experience of two additional creative activities:
creating and developing their own online game; and making and/ or sharing music or songs
that they had created or composed. Relatively few 8-11s and 12-15s had done either of
these activities, with 12-15s more likely than 8-11s to have undertaken them (10% vs. 4% for
game development and 9% vs. 1% for sharing their music or songs).
Since 2012, there has been no change in the likelihood of 8-11s undertaking each of the
creative or civic activities, although 8-11s are now more likely to say they are not interested
in setting up a social networking site profile (55% vs. 47%). In 2013, 12-15s are less likely
than in 2012 to say they have set up a social networking site profile (68% vs. 81%) and are
more likely to say they are interested (12% vs. 6%) and not interested (18% vs. 13%) in
doing this.
In 2013, there are differences by gender. Boys aged 8-11 are more likely to be interested in
making a film or video and sharing it with others online (24% vs. 15%) and in creating/
developing their own online game (28% vs. 16%). Girls aged 12-15 are more likely to have
undertaken one activity: uploading or sharing photos on a website (57% vs. 45%); this was
also the case in 2011 and 2012. Three activities are more likely to have been undertaken by
boys of this age: creating/ developing their own online game (13% vs. 7%), making and/ or
sharing online any music or songs that they have composed or created themselves (14% vs.
5%), and expressing their views online about political or social issues (13% vs. 5%).

56

In 2012 Twitter was not included in the definition of social networking sites, as it was asked about
separately. In 2013 Twitter was included in the definition of social networking sites which may have
been read out to children.
57
In 2012 this just referred to uploading photos to a website.
58
In 2012 this just referred to making a short video and uploading it to a website.
59
This particular activity was only asked of children aged 12-15.

81

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There are differences when comparing by household socio-economic group in 2013.

Children aged 8-15 in AB households are less likely to have set up a social networking site
profile (37% vs. 45%) while children in DE households are more likely to have done this
(52% vs. 45%). In contrast, children aged 8-15 in AB households are more likely to say they
have created an avatar (46% vs. 37%) or signed an online petition (14% vs. 9%). Children in
DE households are more likely to say they have created/ developed their own online game
(11% vs. 7%).
Figure 53: Experience of creative, social and civic online activities by children aged 811: 2009, 2011-2013
Interested in doing this

Done this

Set up your own page

or profile on a social
networking website like
Facebook, Google
Plus, Twitter, Tumblr or
Hi5*

22

2009

2012
2013

16

48

2009

2011

2013

20

2013

Created or developed
your own online game

2013

Made and/ or shared online

2013 1
any music or songs that
you have composed or
created yourself

7
5

71
20

7
68

83

13

80

11

84

17

5
10 89

80

75

22

15

65

73

Set up your own

website, blog or
weblog

69

2013 1

65

16

2012 2

63

16

2011

63

18

40

20

2012

2009 1

14

16

10

2013

34

21

12

7
36

14

44

15

48

45

2011

55
18

11

47

23
27

2009

6
50

25

19

2012

Signed an online
petition

Don't know

51
19

23

2009

Made a film or video

and shared it with
others online***

21
28

2011

Create a character
(avatar) that lives or plays 2011
in the online world on
2012
websites like Club
Penguin, Moshi Monsters 2013
Uploaded or shared
photos on a website**

Not interested

69

77

QC20 Id like to read out a number of things people might do. For each one, could you please tell me if youve done it, youd be interested in doing it, or not
interested? (prompted responses, single coded) * Prior to 2012, as in 2013, Twitter was included in with the definition of a social networking site profile, in
2012 it was asked about separately ** Prior to 2013 this asked about uploading photos to a website *** Prior to 2013 this asked about making a short video
and uploading it to a website
Base: Children aged 8-11 who use the internet at home (582 in 2009, 496 in 2011, 495 in 2012, 497 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference
between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

82

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 54: Experience of creative, social and civic online activities by children aged
12-15: 2009, 2011-2013
Interested in doing this

Done this

Set up your own page or

profile on a social
networking website like
Facebook, Google Plus,
Twitter, Tumblr or Hi5*

Create a character (avatar) that

lives or plays in the online
world on websites like Club
Penguin, Moshi Monsters

70

2009
2011
2012

28
32

2011
2012

Made a film or video

and shared it with
others online***

16
17

2012

2009

2011

2012

2009
2011

5
5
10
7

83

2013

2013

Made and/ or shared

online any music or songs
that you have composed
or created yourself

6
9

76

10

55

71

2013

76

10

Created or developed
your own online game

80

2012

2013

57

11

Set up your own

website, blog or weblog

1
4

59

72

9
6

28

63

20
11

27

19

2013

Expressed your views

online about political or
social issues

22

19

2013

Signed an online
petition

15
18

17

22

33

56

2011

29

10

51

2009

16

54

2013

58

53

2012

59

2011

18

61
5

30

13

56

34

2013

12

12

17
6

68

2009

17
6

81

2013

Don't know

11
76

2009

Uploaded or shared
photos on a website**

Not interested

5
79

4
8

73

16

18

18

14

57

64

69

QC20 Id like to read out a number of things people might do. For each one, could you please tell me if youve done it, youd be interested in doing it, or not
interested? (prompted responses, single coded) * Prior to 2012, as in 2013, Twitter was included in with the definition of a social networking site profile, in
2012 it was asked about separately ** Prior to 2013 this asked about uploading photos to a website *** Prior to 2013 this asked about making a short video
and uploading it to a website
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (645 in 2009, 529 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing
shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

83

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

The proportion of under-age users on sites like Facebook has decreased since
2012
Questions relating specifically to childrens use of social networking sites have been included
in Ofcoms media literacy research since 2007. Figure 55 shows the proportion of children,
aged 3-4, 5-15, 5-7 60, 8-11 and 12-15 who use the internet at home (on any type of device)
and who currently have an active profile on any social networking sites.
Very few parents of children aged 3-4 who use the internet at home say their child has a
social networking site profile (1%). A comparable proportion of parents of 5-7s whose child
goes online at home also say they have a profile (1%). Around one in five 8-11s (18%) say
they have a profile, as do two in three 12-15s (67%).
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the proportion of children aged 5-7 or, 8-11
with an active social networking site profile, and a decrease for 12-15s (67% vs. 80%).
Figure 55 also shows that two in ten children aged 8-12 who use the internet at home say
they have a profile on Facebook, Bebo or MySpace (22%). This group of children is of
particular interest, as there is a minimum age restriction for setting up a profile (13 years of
age) on these three sites. Nearly all the children in this particular group have a profile on
Facebook (98%). The incidence of children aged 8-12 with an active profile on Facebook,
Bebo or MySpace has decreased since 2012 (22% vs. 30%).
Figure 56 shows the incidence of having an active social networking site profile in 2013,
among home internet users for each year group from age 3 through to age 15. While 19% of
children aged 10 who use the internet at home have a profile this incidence doubles to 40%
among children aged 11, potentially in line with the move from primary to secondary school.
It is only from the age of 13 that having an active social networking profile is an activity
undertaken by a majority of internet users.

60

Since 2010 parents of children aged 5-7 have been asked whether their child has a profile on a
social networking site, but all subsequent questions about childrens use of social networking sites
have been asked only of children aged 8-11 or 12-15 or their parents.

84

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 55: Incidence of children with an active social networking site profile, by age:
2009, 20112013
With an active social
networking site profile
on Facebook/ Bebo/
MySpace

% of internet users with an active social

networking site profile
100%

80%
80%

75%
68%

67%

60%

42% 43%
40%

35%

34%
30%

28%
21%

3%

1%

2%

NA

22%

18%

20%

0%

25%

22%

1%

2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013

Aged 8-11

Aged 5-7

Aged 5-15

Aged 3-4

Aged 12-15

Aged 8-12

QP45A/ QC21A Which different social networking sites do you have a page or profile on? (spontaneous responses, multi coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-7 and children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home ( 219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15
in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013,396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 581 aged 8-11 in 2009, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495
aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 645 aged 12-15 in 2009, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013, 746 aged
8-12 in 2009, 655 aged 8-12 in 2011, 678 aged 8-12 in 2012, 677 aged 8-12 in 2013) Significance testing shows any changes between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 56: Proportion of children who use the internet at home with an active social
networking site profile, by individual age: 2013
100%
90%
78%

80%

74%

70%

66%

60%
47%

50%
40%
40%
30%
19%

20%
10%
0%

1%

0%

0%

2%

3%

6%

0%

10

11

12

13

14

15

Age of child (using the internet at home)

QC21A Which different social networking sites do you have a page or profile on? (spontaneous responses, multicoded)
Base: Parent of children aged 3-7 and children aged 8-15 who use the internet at at home (101 aged 3, 118 aged 4, 145 aged 5, 103 aged 6, 133
aged 7, 143 aged 8, 116 aged 9, 132 aged 10, 106 aged 11, 180 aged 12, 99 aged 13, 110 aged 14, 159 aged 15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

85

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Nearly all 12-15s with a social networking site profile have one on Facebook,
with growth in the use of Twitter since 2012
Figure 57 shows that among those with an active social networking site profile, nearly all 1215s 61 continue to use Facebook (97%).
Since 2012, those aged 12-15 with an active social networking profile are less likely to have
a profile on Bebo (4% vs. 8%) and are more likely to have a profile on Twitter (37% vs.
25%). As a proportion of all children (as distinct from those who use the internet at home),
24% of all 12-15s have a profile on Twitter. The comparable figures for Facebook show that
three in five of all 12-15s (62%) have a Facebook profile.
In 2013, there are some differences by gender among 12-15s. Boys are more likely than
girls to have an active profile on YouTube (31% vs. 21%) while girls are three times more
likely to have a profile on Tumblr (12% vs. 4%).
In 2013, children with a social networking site profile were asked which profile they
considered to be their main one. Nearly nine in ten (87%) of 12-15s with a profile consider
Facebook to be their main profile, while 5% consider Twitter to be their main profile. Less
than one in 20 12-15s consider their main profile to be on YouTube (3%), Instagram (2%),
Tumblr (1%) or Bebo (1%). There is only one difference by age: boys aged 12-15 are more
likely than girls to say their main profile is on YouTube (5% vs. 1%).
Figure 57: Social networking websites where children aged 12-15 currently have an
active profile: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (of those with an active profile)

Main
profile

87%
Facebook

5%
Twitter

3%
YouTube

2%
Instagram

Google +

1%
Tumblr

1%
MySpace

Bebo

97 9897

100%

81
80%

60%
49
37

20%

23

26

24
16

14

14

11 11

6 8

8
4

NA NA

NA

2009
2011
2012
2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

NA NA NA

2009
2011
2012
2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

2009
2011
2012
2013

NA NA

2009
2011
2012
2013

0%

5 7 5

2009
2011
2012
2013

25

2009
2011
2012
2013

40%

QC21A Which different social networking sites do you have a page or profile on? (spontaneous responses, multi coded) showing responses of 2% or
more of children aged 12-15 with a current social networking site profile
Base: Children aged 12-15 who have a current social networking site profile (442 aged 12-15 in 2009, 407 aged 12-15 in 2011, 446 aged 12-15 in 2012,
378 in 2013). Significance testing shows any changes between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

61

In previous years it was possible to report on the social networking sites on which children aged 811 (with a profile) had an active profile. In 2013, however, this base is too low (85 interviews).

86

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parents whose child aged 12-15 has a profile on Facebook are more likely now
than in 2012 to be aware that there is a minimum age requirement and to know
that it is 13 years old
In 2012, an additional question was added to the survey to establish whether parents were
aware of the minimum age requirement for using the Facebook website 62. Figure 58 shows
that, of those parents with a child aged 12-1563 with an active profile on Facebook, close to
nine in ten (87%) are aware that there is a minimum age requirement. But less than four in
ten parents of 12-15s (37%) are aware that the minimum age for having a profile is 13 years
old.
In 2013, awareness of the minimum age does not differ between parents of boys and girls
aged 12-15. Parents of 5-15s in the ABC1 socio-economic group are more likely to be
aware, compared to C2DEs (92% vs. 81%). ABC1 parents are also more likely to know that
the minimum age is 13 (40% vs. 29% for C2DEs).
Among parents of children with an under-age profile on Facebook (children aged 5-12), 21%
are unaware that there is a minimum age requirement for using Facebook. Twenty-seven
per cent think that their child needs to be older than 13 to have a profile.
Compared to 2012, parents of 12-15s with an active profile on Facebook are more likely to
be aware there is a minimum age requirement (87% vs. 72%) and to be aware that it is 13
years of age (37% vs. 24%). This growth in awareness is apparent among parents of boys
and girls aged 12-15, and for parents of 5-15s in ABC1 and C2DE socio-economic group.
Parents of girls aged 12-15 and parents of 5-15s in ABC1 socio-economic groups are also
now more likely than in 2012 to be aware that this minimum age requirement is 13 years of
age.

62

Given that nearly all children aged 8-15 with an active social networking profile have one on
Facebook (96%), this question was asked specifically about Facebook.
63
Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s, 5-7s or 3-4s.

87

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 58: Awareness of minimum age requirements for having a profile on Facebook:
2012-2013

Aware of minimum age requirement - parent thinks it is aged 13

Aware of minimum age requirement - parent thinks it is aged under 13

Aware of minimum age requirement - parent thinks it is aged over 13

Aware of minimum age requirement - parent is unsure of exact age

There is no minimum age requirement

Don't know whether there is a minimum age requirement

2012

24

11

31

20

Aged 12-15
2013

Parents of boys
aged 12-15
Parents of girls
aged 12-15

37

2012

26

2013

11
8

29

33

2012

23

9
5

11

13

17

30

16

30

11

24

34

39

32

14

2013

10

23

2012

31

10

18

ABC1
2013

40

2012

C2DE
Parents whose child
has an under age
profile on Facebook
(aged 5-12)

25

2013

13
8

29

2012

20%

6
27

40%

7
10

60%

23
10

28
16

8
8

4
30

14

26
0%

32
11

24

2013

31

15
22

6
80%

15
100%

QP60 Please think about having a Facebook page or profile. As far as you know, is there an age someone needs to have reached in order to have a Facebook
profile? IF YES: What age is that? (spontaneous responses, multi coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 515 whose child has an active profile on Facebook (437 aged 12-15 in 2012, 366 aged 12-15 in 2013, 215 boys aged 12-15 in
2012, 171 boys aged 12-15 in 2013, 222 girls aged 12-15 in 2012, 195 girls aged 12-15 in 2013, 237 ABC1 in 2012, 199 ABC1 in 2013, 316 C2DE in 2012, 247
C2DE in 2013, 238 parents whose child has an under age profile on Facebook in 2012, 170 parents whose child has an under age profile on Facebook in 2013).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

There has been no change in the incidence of parents of 12-15s checking their
childs social networking site activity
Parents of 8-15s 64 who are aware that their child has a profile on a social networking website
were asked whether they check what their child is doing online when visiting these types of
sites.
As shown in Figure 59, close to three in four (73%) parents of children aged 12-15 check
what their child is doing when visiting social networking sites, and this incidence has not
changed since 2012. There are no differences in whether checks are made by the childs
gender or by the household socio-economic group.
Nine in ten parents (89%) of children aged 5-12 with a profile on Facebook, Bebo or
MySpace also check what their child is doing when visiting these sites; this is also
unchanged since 2012.

64

Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s.

88

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 59: Parental checking of social networking site activity, by age: 2009, 20112013
Yes, check what child is doing
Aged 12-15 2009

No, do not check what child is doing

77

Aged 12-15 2011

23

73

Aged 12-15 2012

27

76

Aged 12-15 2013

24

73

27

Aged 5-12 with a profile - 2011

on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo

87

Aged 5-12 with a profile - 2012

on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo

13

92

Aged 5-12 with a profile - 2013

on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo

89
0%

20%

40%

11
60%

80%

100%

QP48 Do you tend to check what they are doing online when they are visiting these types of sites? NB QUESTION WORDING CHANGED AFTER 2009
In 2009 it asked about visits to sites that can be used to chat to other users
Base: Parents of children aged 8-15 with a social networking site profile whose child visits sites that can be used to chat to other users (440 aged 12-15 in
2009, 398 aged 12-15 in 2011, 440 aged 12-15 in 2012, 368 aged 12-15 in 2013, 217 aged 5-12 with a profile on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo in 2011, 226 aged
5-12 with a profile on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo in 2012, 150 aged 5-12 with a profile on Facebook/ MySpace/ Bebo in 2013). Significance testing shows any
differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

12-15s mostly use a mobile phone to visit their main social networking site
profile
In 2013, children aged 8-15, and parents of children aged 3-7 65 with an active social
networking site profile, were asked about the types of internet-enabled devices that were
ever used, and mostly used, to visit their/ their childs main social networking site.
As shown in Figure 60, there are two devices that are used by a majority of 12-15s; a laptop
or netbook (67%) and a mobile phone (61%). One in four 12-15s have ever accessed their
main profile through a desktop PC (25%) and slightly fewer through a tablet computer (21%).
All other internet-enabled devices have ever been used to access their main profile by
around one in ten 12-15s, or less. Around one in five 12-15s (19%) only use devices other
than a PC/ laptop or netbook to access their main profile.
There are some differences by gender; boys aged 12-15 are more likely than girls to access
their main profile through a desktop PC (31% vs. 20%) or through a fixed games console
(connected to a TV) (12% vs. 3%).
In terms of the device mostly used to visit their main social networking site, the most popular
device for 12-15s is a mobile phone (41%), followed by a laptop or netbook (34%). Around
one in seven (13%) prefer to access their profile through a desktop PC, and one in 14 (7%)
on a tablet computer. Boys aged 12-15 are more likely than girls to prefer to access it
through a desktop PC (20% vs. 7%).

65

Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s, 5-7s and 3-4s.

89

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 60: Devices ever, and mostly, used to visit main social networking site profile
among 12-15s: 2013
Devices ever used to visit main
social networking site profile
67%

Laptop/ netbook

34%

61%

Mobile phone

41%
13%

25%

Desktop PC

21%

Tablet
Portable media player
Fixed games console

Device mostly used to visit main

social networking site profile

11%
7%

7%
5%
1%

E book reader

2%

0%

Handheld games player

1%

0%

Only use a device other

than PC/ laptop/
netbook

19%

QC22A-B Which of the following devices do you use to visit your main social networking site profile? (Prompted responses, multi-coded) / And which
device do you mostly use to visit your main social networking site profile? (Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 with an active social networking site profile (378)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

One in five 12-15s with a social networking site profile say they visit it more
than ten times a day
In 2013, children aged 8-15, and parents of children aged 3-7 66 with an active social
networking site profile were also asked about how frequently they tended to visit their main
social networking site profile (across any devices used).
A majority of 12-15s (85%) visit their main profile at least once a day, with one in five (20%)
saying they visit more than ten times a day. There are no differences by gender among 1215s. However, those who mostly access their main social networking site profile through a
mobile phone visit their profile more frequently than those who mostly access it through a
PC/ laptop/ netbook (90% vs. 76% access daily).

66

Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s, 5-7s and 3-4s.

90

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 61: Frequency of visiting main social networking site profile: 2013
More than 10 times a day

2-10 times a day

Once a day

Weekly

Less often than daily

%
20

Aged 12-15

Boys aged 12-15

18

Aged 8-15 who mostly access

through a mobile

27

12

22

49

97

20

17

12

14

49

38

98

15

19

40

22

Girls aged 12-15

Aged 8-15 who mostly access

through a PC/ laptop/ netbook

45

26

100

10

24

97

99

QC23 Across all the devices you may use for social networking, how often do you visit your main profile? (RESPONSES FROM PARENT OF 5-7 YEAR
OLDS AND CHILDREN AGED 8-15) (Spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Children with an active social networking site profile (378 aged 12-15, 178 boys aged 12-15, 200 girls aged 12-15,176 aged 8-15 who mostly
access their main profile through a mobile phone, 219 aged 8-15 who mostly access their main profile through a PC/ laptop or netbook) Significance
testing shows any difference between boys and girls aged 12-15 and those who mostly access through a mobile phone and through a PC/laptop/netbook
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

On average, 12-15s have never met, in person, three in ten of the friends they have
listed on their social networking site profiles.
Since 2012, children aged 8-15 with an active social networking site profile have been asked
to estimate how many people they have listed as friends across any social networking sites
that they use 67, and then asked to estimate how many of these friends they had met in
person. Figure 62 shows the mean number of friends 68. Children aged 12-15 say they have,
on average, 272 friends. In 2013, there are no differences by gender among children aged
12-15, or among children aged 8-15 by socio-economic group, when comparing those in
ABC1 households to those in C2DE households 69.
Children aged 12-15 estimate that they have not met around three in ten (29%) of these
friends in person (an average of 78 people per child).
There has been no change in any of these incidences, compared to 2012.

67

For the purposes of this analysis, Twitter users estimates are not included, as a user can follow/ be
followed by a wide audience that are not necessarily friends. In 2012 children were asked about the
number of friends across all their social networking sites while in 2013 they were asked specifically
about the number of friends on their main profile.
68
Low base size prevents analysis among 8-11s in 2013.
69
Low base sizes prevent analysis by all four socio-economic groups among 8-15s.

91

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 62: Estimated number of friends across social networking sites used
(excluding Twitter): 2012 -2013
Proportion of these friends
that the child has not met in
person/ face to face

Aged 12-15

2012
2013

Boys aged
12-15

Girls aged
12-15

23%

255

29%

272

279

23%

257

2013

26%

230

23%
286

2013

31%

209

ABC1

2013

C2DE

2013

26%

224

30%

222

20%
24%

217
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Mean number of friends

QC27/QC28 How many people do you have listed as 'friends' on your main social networking site profile?(spontaneous responses, single coded) / How many of
these people listed as 'friends' have you met face to face?
95
Base: Children aged 8-15 with an active social networking site profile excluding Twitter (337 aged 12-15 in 2012, 241 aged 12-15 in 2013, 176 boys aged 12-15 in
2012, 114 boys aged 12-15 in 2013, 161 girls aged 12-15 in 2012, 127 girls aged 12-15 in 2013, 172 ABC1 in 2012, 138 ABC1 in 2013, 262 C2DE in 2012, 177
C2DE in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

92

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Social networking activities

One in three 12-15s with a social networking site profile (on a site other than
Twitter) may be in contact with people via their profile, who are not directly
known to them
Children aged 8-15 with an active social networking site profile were prompted with a list of
activities that they could undertake when visiting these types of website. The list of activities
was refreshed in 2013, and does not, therefore, show any trend data.
More than nine in ten 12-15s use social networking sites for contact with friends or family
(94%), with only one other activity undertaken by a majority of 12-15s: sharing photos of
themselves or their friends (50%). The next most popular activities are: messaging other
people (46%) and using chat/ IM services (41%). Close to four in ten (38%) post messages
or updates about what they thinking or doing (38%), and around one in three look at other
peoples pages without leaving a message (35%), or play games (31%). A significant
minority (14%) use these sites to find out about news or what is going on in the world.
There are three activities that boys aged 12-15 are more likely to undertake on these sites in
2013, compared to girls: playing games (37% vs. 25%), looking at news and what is going
on in the world (19% vs. 10%), and joining groups (16% vs. 6%). There are no other
differences by gender. There are no differences by socio-economic group when comparing
8-15s in ABC1 households with those in C2DE households. 70
Figure 63: Types of use of social networking sites among 12-15s: 2013
For contact with friends/ family

94%

Share photos of you or your friends

50%

Leave messages on the pages or

profiles of your friends

46%

Use chat or IM services

41%

Posting messages/ updates about

what you are thinking/ doing

38%

Look at other people's pages

without leaving a message

35%

Play games

31%

Following something or someone

you are interested in

25%

Look at news and what is going on

in the world

14%

Join groups
Invite people to events through your
page or profile
Look at or join in with campaigns or
petitions

11%
9%
7%

QC25 Do you regularly use social networking sites for any of the things shown on this card? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who have a social networking site profile that is currently active (378 aged 12-15 in 2013)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

70

Base sizes prevent analysis by all four socio-economic groups.

93

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 64 shows the responses for two specific activities: contact with people who are
friends of friends, and contact with people they have never met in person. We focus on these
two responses in particular, as they both represent potential contact with people who are not
directly known to the child. 71
Around one in four 12-15s (27%) use social networking sites for contacting people who are
friends of friends, and 12% for contact with people they have never met in person/ face-toface. There are no differences by gender or by household socio-economic group.
There has been no change in either of these measures since 2012.
By combining the responses of the children who said they used social networking sites for
contact with friends of friends, or people they had never met in person, around one in three
12-15s (33%) are in contact with people who are potentially not directly known to them. This
measure is also unchanged since 2012.
When looking at the responses for children aged 8-12 with an active profile on Facebook/
Bebo/ MySpace, more than one in five of these children talk to people who are potentially
not directly known to them (23%), which is unchanged since 2012 (also 23%).
Figure 64: Types of use of social networking sites (excluding Twitter) among 12-15s:
2009, 2011-2013
Talk to (2009)/ Contact with
(2011+) people who are
friends of friends*

Talk to people I dont know

(2009)/ Contact with people Ive
never met in person/ face to
face (2011+)*

TOTAL - TALK TO
PEOPLE NOT
DIRECTLY KNOWN
TO THEM*

41

39
27

27

2011

33

2012

2013

22

18

2009

31

2012

2013

2009

12

12

2012

2013

2011

2009

2011

QC25 Do you regularly use social networking sites for any of the things shown on this card? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who have a social networking site profile that is currently active *excluding those that have a Twitter profile (409 aged 12-15
in 2009,353 aged 12-15 in 2011, 337 aged 12-15 in 2012, 241 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any changes between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

A new question was included in the survey in 2012: asking children aged 12-15 with an
active social networking site profile whether they were aware of the function for reporting
worrying, nasty or offensive content (that they didnt like) to the website. Four in five 12-15s
(79%) are aware of this function on social media websites in 2013, and the results do not
vary by gender or by socio-economic group. There has been no change in this incidence
since 2012.

71

These responses in 2013, as well as for 2009, 2011 and 2012, have excluded responses from
those with a Twitter profile, as it is more likely that these users follow/ are followed by people not
known to them.

94

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Use of a gaming device to go online

One-quarter of boys who play games online do so against people who are not
known to them
Parents of children aged 5-15 who use any of the devices for gaming were also asked
whether their child ever plays games at home over the internet. A significant minority of
children who play games have ever played games online; one-quarter of 5-7s (24%), onethird of 8-11s (36%) and half of 12-15s (49%).
Across all children aged 5-15 who use any of the devices for gaming there has been an
increase in online gaming since 2012 (37% vs. 32%), as a result of increases among 5-7s
(24% vs. 18%) and 8-11s (36% vs. 29%). One in ten children aged 3-4 who play games at
all play games online at home (12%).
Among those children aged 5-15 who ever play games, playing online is more likely among
boys, with this difference driven by boys aged 8-11 (44% vs. 31%) and aged 12-15 (60% vs.
36%). Online gaming does not differ by socio-economic group.
Figure 65: Online gaming, by age: 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013
100%
80%
60%
35%

40%
20%

30%

32%

37%

36%
30%
17%

12%

20%

24%

36%

40%

43%

46%

49%

29%

18%

0%
2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013 2009 2011 2012 2013

Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

QP78 Does your child ever play games at home over the internet on any of these devices which is of ten ref erred to as online game playing?
(prompted responses, single coded) NB QUESTION WORDING CHANGE - In 2009 and 2010 the question wording was Does your child ever play
single or multiplayer games over the internet on any of these devices which is of ten ref erred to as online game playing? . In 2013 responses are taken
f rom the child aged 12-15 rather than the parent, as had been the case in previous years
Base: Parents of children aged 3-4 or 5-15 whose child ever plays games on a games console/ player, computer or other device (386 aged 3-4 in
2013,1870 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1546 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1506 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1483 aged 5-15 in 2013, 471 aged 5-7 in 2009, 492 aged 5-7 in 2011,
489 aged 5-7 in 2012, 447 aged 5-7 in 2013, 710 aged 8-11 in 2009, 545 aged 8-11 in 2011, 524 aged 8-11 in 2012, 535 aged 8-11 in 2013, 688 aged
12-15 in 2009, 509 aged 12-15 in 2011, 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 501 aged 12-15 in 2013). - Signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012
and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of children aged 5-15 who ever play games online at home were asked about the
ways in which their child played these games online: playing games on their own against the
computer or games player, playing against someone else in the same room as them, playing
against someone else they know personally who is playing elsewhere, or playing against
one or more people they do not know personally who are playing elsewhere.
Figure 66 shows that the majority of children in each age group who play games online play
on their own/ against the computer or games player, accounting for over four in five 5-7s
(86%), close to seven in ten 8-11s (68%) and seven in ten 12-15s (73%). The incidence of
this type of online gaming is unchanged since 2012.

95

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Playing against someone elsewhere who is known personally to the child increases with the
age of the child, with this type of gaming undertaken by one in 20 5-7s (4%), one in three 811s (35%) and half of 12-15s (50%). Across all children aged 5-15 there has been a
decrease since 2012 in this type of online gaming because of a decline among 5-7s (4% vs.
13%).
There is less difference across the age groups in the incidence of playing against someone
in the same room; accounting for three in ten 5-7s (29%) and 8-11s (34%) and half of 12-15s
(48%). The incidence of this type of online gaming is unchanged since 2012.
A minority of parents of children who play games online at home say their child plays against
one or more other people playing elsewhere, who they do not know personally. This type of
online gaming is ever undertaken by one in 20 5-7s (4%), one in seven 8-11s (15%) and
three in ten 12-15s (29%). The incidence of this type of online gaming is lower among 5-15s
overall, compared to 2012 (20% vs. 26%), although this is not attributable to any particular
age group.
Boys and girls aged 5-15 72 are equally likely to play games against someone else in the
same room as them, but the other types of online gaming (shown in Figure 66) differ by the
gender of the child. Girls who play games online are more likely than boys to play on their
own/ against the computer or games player (82% vs. 68%), while boys are more likely than
girls to play against someone known to them playing elsewhere (44% vs. 26%) and against
someone not known to them who is playing elsewhere (24% vs. 13%).
Figure 66: Types of online game playing undertaken by children, by age: 2011, 2012
and 2013 73
On their own / against
the computer or games
player

Against someone else

they have met in person
who is playing
elsewhere**

Against someone else

in the same room as
them

Against one or more other

people they have not met
in person who are playing
elsewhere**

747273

8586
79
77
6668

717273
5958
50
4345
37

40
3537

363835

48
4244
34
31
28 29 29
23

34
28 29

26
18 20

1213

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-15

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-15

4
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-15

2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-15

11

2011
2012
2013

19
15
10

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP79 When your child plays games at home over the internet, which of these describes how they are playing? **In 2011 these options ref erred to
someone they know personally and were amended to they have met in person in 2012. In 2013 responses are taken f rom the child aged 12-15 rather
than the parent, as had been the case in previous years
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child plays games over the internet at home (524 aged 5-15 in 2011, 493 aged 5-15 in 2012, 537 aged 5-15 in
2013, 105 aged 5-7 in 2011, 103 aged 5-7 in 2012, 111 aged 5-7 in 2013, 199 aged 8-11 in 2011, 158 aged 8-11 in 2012, 182 aged 8-11 in 2013, 220 aged
12-15 in 2011, 232 aged 12-15 in 2012, 214 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

72

Due to low sample sizes it is not possible to look at differences by gender within each age group.
The base of interviews with parents of children aged 3-4 who play games online at home is too low
for further analysis (43).
73

96

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Four in ten 12-15s who use a fixed or portable gaming device to go online use
these devices for voice chat or sending messages
In 2013, parents of children aged 3-11, and children aged 12-15, who say they (or their child)
ever go online through a games console connected to the television or a portable/ handheld
games player, were asked whether they used these devices to play games online, to look at
websites, for voice chat (using a headset and chatting through Xbox Live or PlayStation
Home), or for sending text messages through instant messaging applications.
Figure 67 shows the results for 8-11s and 12-15s 74. The most popular use of either type of
gaming device, when used to go online, is for game playing (81% for 8-11s and 87% for 1215s). Considerably fewer 8-11s and 12-15s who go online through their gaming device visit
websites (40% for 8-11s and 33% for 12-15s) or use these devices for voice chat (21% for 811s and 34% for 12-15s). While 8-11s are less likely to use these devices for voice chat than
for visiting websites (21% vs. 40%), the two are equally likely for 12-15s. Two in ten 12-15s
(19%) and one in ten 8-11s (10%) use these devices for sending instant messages.
Although the incidence of each of these individual activities does not vary by age, 12-15s are
more likely than 8-11s to use these devices for any type of online communication (41% vs.
24%).
Figure 67: Other uses of games consoles/ games players by children aged 8-15 who
go online through these gaming devices: 2013

To play games
online

To look at
websites

For voice chat

For sending IM

(communication)

(communication)

Communication
only

Communication
and other uses

Other uses and

not
communication

%
87
81
73
59

40

36

34

33

24

21

19
10
0

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

4
Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP27/ QC12 When your child uses a games console or games player to go online, do they ever use it for any of the following...(responses from parent of 5-11
year olds and from children aged 12-15)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who ever use a games console or portable games player to go online at home (112 aged 8-11, 134 aged 12-15).
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

74

Low base sizes prevents analysis for 3-4s and 5-7s.

97

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 5

Knowledge and understanding of media

among 8-15s
This section looks at the extent to which older children (aged 8-15) understand their media
environment. It looks at childrens confidence in using media and their understanding of
different types of television and online content. It assesses their understanding of how
search engines operate, their awareness of and understanding of personalised advertising,
and whether they restrict access to their social networking profiles. It also looks at their
opinions about downloading content, about posting personal information online and the
types of checks they make when visiting new websites. Finally, it explores the role of TV and
the internet in helping children understand the world around them.
Due to potential comprehension issues, some of these questions were not asked of the
youngest children (aged 5-7). A smaller number were not asked of children aged 8 -11. All of
the questions were asked of children aged 12-15.
Key findings

At an overall level, 8-15s continue to feel confident in using the internet for a variety of
purposes, including 83% of 8-11 year olds and 91% of 12-15s who say that they are
confident staying safe online, and 67% of 12-15s who are confident that they can judge
whether websites are truthful. While these overall levels of confidence are unchanged
since 2012, 8-11s and 12-15s are now less likely to say they are very confident at using
a search engine. 12-15s are also less likely to say they are very confident in knowing
how to stay safe online, and confident overall as an internet user

The majority of 8-11s and 12-15s continue to be able to differentiate between the
truthfulness of different types of online content.

Forty-five per cent of 12-15s who ever use search engines make a critical judgement
about search engine results, thinking that some of the sites returned will be truthful and
some wont be. Thirty-two per cent believe that information on a website listed by a
search engine must be truthful. Both of these measures are unchanged since 2012.
Close to half (48%) of 12-15s, after being provided with a description of online
personalised advertising, said they were aware of this practice, although a majority
(53%) are either unsure how they feel about it or feel its neither a good or a bad thing.

Fifty-five per cent of internet users aged 8-15 say that in most weeks they only visit
websites they have visited before. This is more likely among 8-11s (61%) than among
12-15s (49%).

Sixty-six per cent of 12-15s say they make checks on websites they have not visited
before.

One third of 12-15s (33%) with an active social networking site profile have one which is
either open to anyone, or to friends of friends, potentially including people not directly
known to them. This is more likely than in 2012 (22% for 12-15s in 2012).

98

A majority of TV viewers and internet users aged 12-15 feel that these media help them
to understand what is going on in the world, make them aware of different types of
people and opinions, and help them form their own opinions.

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Confidence in using the internet

Overall, children aged 12-15 continue to be confident using the internet for a
variety of purposes, although they are less likely say they are very confident
in undertaking certain activities
Home internet users aged 8-11 and 12-15 were asked how confident they were using a
search engine and knowing how to stay safe online. The 12-15s were also asked about their
confidence in finding what they want when they go online, about using the internet to do
creative things (like making blogs, websites or games, sharing photos or uploading short
videos), judging whether the websites they use are truthful, and about their overall
confidence as an internet user. Figure 68 shows the findings for 8-11s while Figure 69 and
Figure 70 shows the findings for 12-15s.
The 8-11s feel confident using a search engine, with four in ten (40%) saying they are very
confident. A similar proportion of 8-11s are very confident in knowing how to stay safe online
(42%). Since 2012, while overall confidence (very, and fairly, confident responses combined)
in using a search engine is unchanged (81% in 2013 vs. 84%), 8-11s are now less likely to
say they are very confident. There has been no change in levels of confidence in knowing
how to stay safe online for 8-11s.
Nearly all 12-15s say they are confident using a search engine or in finding what they want
when they go online, with two in three (67%) being very confident using a search engine and
more than half (56%) being very confident in finding what they want online. Nine in ten 1215s also feel confident they know how to stay safe online, with half feeling very confident
(49%).
While 12-15s are less likely to feel confident overall in using the internet to do creative
things75, slightly more than one in three 12-15s are very confident in using the internet for
this purpose (36%). While the majority of 12-15s feel confident overall judging whether
websites are truthful, three in ten (31%) say they are very confident. Overall, therefore, more
than nine in ten internet users aged 12-15 consider themselves confident internet users and
more than half (54%) feel very confident.
Since 2012, 12-15s are less likely to feel very confident in using search engines (67% vs.
76%), and in knowing how to stay safe online (49% vs. 57%). They are also less likely to say
they are very confident internet users (54% vs. 63%).
In 2013, there are differences by gender. Boys aged 12-15 are more likely than girls to say
they are very confident finding what they want when they go online (62% vs. 51%), in going
online for creative purposes (42% vs. 30%) and in judging whether websites are truthful
(36% vs. 25%).
There is only one difference by socio-economic group among children aged 12-15: those in
AB households are more likely to say they are confident (very/ fairly) in judging whether
websites are truthful (81% vs. 67%).

75

In 2013, the definition of creative activities was expanded to include making websites or games.

99

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 68:8-11s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013

Very confident

Fairly confident

Not confident

Neither/ Dont know

Confidence in using a search engine

%
2011

Aged 8-11

50

35

48

2012

36

40

2013

10

41

11

Confidence that you know how to stay safe when you are online
%
2011

Aged 8-11

46

36

47

2012

35

42

2013

41

13

11

11

QC19A/E Im going to read out some questions about confidence using the internet, for each one please say which of the options on the card
applies to you prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-11 who use the internet at home (496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012 497 aged 8-11 in 2013). Significance testing
shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 69:12-15s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013

Very confident

Neither/ Dont know

Fairly confident

Not confident

Confidence in using a search engine

%
2011

Aged 12-15

79
76

2012

21

67

2013

19

28

3 2

Confidence that you can find what you want when you go online
%
2011

Aged 12-15

62

34

62

2012

33

56

2013

2 2
2 2

38

4 2

Confidence in using the internet to do creative things like making blogs, websites or games
sharing photos or uploading short videos**
%
2011

Aged 12-15

25

32

2012

36

2013

36

28
31
27

15
17

20

16
17

QC19A-C Im going to read out some questions about confidence using the internet, for each one please say which of the options on the card applies to you
prompted responses, single coded) ** In 2013 making websites or games was included in the list of possible creative activities
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows
any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

100

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 70:12-15s confidence in using the internet: 2011-2013

Very confident

Neither/ Dont know

Fairly confident

Not confident

Confidence in judging whether websites you use are truthful

%

2011

Aged 12-15

2012
2013

49

21
27

24
45

31

18

37

7
10

26

Confidence that you know how to stay safe when you are online
%

2011

Aged 12-15

56
57

2012
2013

39

37

49

42

2
2

Overall confidence as an internet user

%

Aged 12-15

2011

63

34

2012

63

34

2013

54

40

QC19D-F Im going to read out some questions about confidence using the internet, for each one please say which of the options on the card applies to you
prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows
any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

101

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Critical understanding of online content

8-15s apply a level of critical understanding regarding the truthfulness of
online content
Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home were asked how frequently they visited
certain types of websites. Children who had ever visited four particular types of websites
(those used for schoolwork/ homework, social networking sites, those used for news
purposes and the Wikipedia website 76) were asked whether they believed that all of the
information, most of the information or some of the information on these types of site was
true. Figure 71 shows the findings for websites used for schoolwork/ homework and social
networking, and Figure 72 shows the findings for websites used for news purposes and the
Wikipedia website.
More than nine in ten 8-11s (92%) and 12-15s (95%) who use the internet at home have
ever visited websites for schoolwork/ homework. Those aged 12-15 are more likely than
those aged 8-11 to believe that all or most of the information on these websites is true (82%
vs. 74%). There are no differences by gender or by household socio-economic group in
2013. Compared to 2012, both the 8-11s and the 12-15s are less likely to believe that all the
information is true (36% vs. 45 for 8-11s and 30% vs. 37% for 12-15s).
Two in ten 8-11s (22%) and three in four 12-15s (75%) who use the internet at home have
ever used the internet to visit social networking sites. The 12-15s are no more likely than the
8-11s to believe that all or most of the information on social networking sites is true (29% for
8-11s and 30% for 12-15s). As with the responses for schoolwork/ homework, there are no
differences in response by gender among 12-15s77 or by socio-economic group, (when
comparing ABC1 to C2DE). There has been no change in these measures since 2012.
Two in ten 8-11s (21%) 78 and more than half (53%) of 12-15s who use the internet at home
have ever visited sites about news and what is going on the world. Two in three of 8-11s
(65%) and three in four 12-15s (77%) believe that all or most of this information is true.
There are no differences in response by gender among 12-15s 79 or by household socioeconomic group (when comparing ABC1 to C2DE). Compared to 2012, 8-11s and 12-15s
are both less likely to believe that all this information is true (26% vs. 41% for 8-11s and 18%
vs. 30% for 12-15s).
More than one in three (36%) 8-11s and three in five 12-15s (59%) who use the internet at
home say they have ever visited the Wikipedia website. The 12-15s are no more likely than
the 8-11s to believe that all or most of the information on Wikipedia is true (61% for 8-11s
and 59% for 12-15s). There are no differences in responses by gender among 12-15s, 80 or
by socio-economic group, (when comparing ABC1 to C2DE) in 2013. There has been no
change in these measures since 2012.

76

Before 2012 the question asked about websites where user-generated content is posted (such as
blogs or sites like Wikipedia). In 2012, the question was amended to ask specifically about the
Wikipedia website and it is therefore not possible to show comparable data for previous years.
77
Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s by gender.
78
It is not possible to show data for 8-11s in 2010 and 2011 due to the low base of respondents.
79
Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s by gender.
80
Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s by gender.

102

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 71: Childrens belief in the truthfulness in websites used for school/ homework
and for social networking, by age: 2011-2013
Most is true

All is true

Dont know

Some is true

On websites used for school work/ home work

%
Aged 8-11

41

2011

45

2012

10

35

36

2013

Aged 12-15

42

13

38

51

30

2013

10

46

37

2012

15

42

2011

52

11

12

On Social Networking websites

%
Aged 8-11

2011

2012

27

2013

Aged 12-15

26

26
8

27

2012

27

11

60

9
7

64

2011

2013

55

59

6
3

62

25

64

QC15B/A When you use the internet to visit [TYPE OF WEBSITE] Do you believe that all of the information you see is true, most of it is true or just
some of it is true? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet to visit relevant websites (VARIABLE BASE). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012
and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 72: Childrens belief in the truthfulness in websites used for news and for
information purposes, by age: 2011-2013
Most is true

All is true

Dont know

Some is true

On sites about news and what is going on in the world

%

Aged 8-11*

2011

41

2012

26

2013

Aged 12-15

2011

31

2012

30

2013

38

15

39

23

12

48

16
56

18

6
11

59

16

3
8

When visiting the Wikipedia website

%
2011

Aged 8-11**

28

2012

23

2013

Aged 12-15**

43
39

21
25

8
14

2011
2012
2013

15
17

47
42

30
32

9
9

QC15C/D When you use the internet to visit [TYPE OF WEBSITE] Do you believe that all of the information you see is true, most of it is true or just some
of it is true? (prompted responses, single coded) *Where data is not shown for children aged 8-11, this is because of low effective sample sizes.** This
question was amended in 2012 to ask specifically about the Wikipedia website , trend data is therefore not available.
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet to visit relevant websites (VARIABLE BASE). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and
2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

103

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Critical understanding of search engines

Over two in five 12-15s who use search engines understand how they operate
Children aged 12-15 who ever use search engines (88% of all home internet users) were
asked about the truthfulness of information that was returned by the search engine. Children
were asked to say which of the following statements was closer to their opinion:

I think that if they have been listed by the search engine the information on the website
must be truthful.

I think that some of the websites in the list will show truthful information and some will
show untruthful information.

I dont really think about whether or not they have truthful information, I just use the sites
I like the look of.

More than two in five children aged 12-15 (45%) make some type of critical judgement about
search engine results, thinking that some of the sites returned will be truthful while others
may not be. Three in ten 12-15s (32%) believe that if a search engine lists information then it
must be truthful, and one in seven (15%) dont consider the veracity of results but just visit
the sites they like the look of. Less than one in ten 12-15s (8%) are unsure. There has been
no change since 2012 in any of these measures.
In 2013, there are no differences by gender and only one difference by household socioeconomic group. The 12-15s in C2DE households are more likely than those in ABC1
households to think that if a search engine lists information then it must be truthful (37% vs.
27%).

104

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 73: 12-15s understanding of results listed by search engines: 2009, 20112013 81
%
27

33

49
45

31

45

32

45

30

48

27
35

37

I think that some of the

websites in the list will show
truthful information and some
will show untruthful
information

49
43

I think that if they have been

listed by the search engine
the information on that
website must be truthful

41
I don't really think about
whether or not they have
truthful information, I just use
the sites I like the look of

20

13
10

17
7

15
8

Aged 12-15 Aged 12-15 Aged 12-15 Aged 12-15

2009

2011

2012

14

13

15

16

Boys

Girls

ABC1

C2DE

Don't know

2013

QC30 Which one of these is the closest in your opinion about the truthfulness of the information in the websites that appear in the results pages? (prompted
responses, single coded)/
Base: Children 12-15 who ever use search engines to find out about other websites or search for information (313 aged 12-15 in 2009, 503 aged 12-15 in
2011, 496 aged 12-15 in 2012, 479 aged 12-15 in 2013, 237 boys aged 12-15, 242 girls aged 12-15, 230 ABC1, 249 C2DE). Significance testing shows any
difference between 2012 and 2013 or within gender or socio- economic group
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

81

In some instances the percentages may add to slightly more or less than 100% due to data
rounding.

105

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Awareness of, and attitudes towards, personalised advertising

Half of internet users aged 12-15 are aware of personalised advertising and
are less likely than in 2012 to think it is a bad thing
Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were provided with a
description of personalised online advertising 82 and were asked whether they were aware
that websites could use their data/ information in this way.
Figure 74 shows that half of 12-15s (48%) are aware of personalised advertising; with a
similar proportion (42%) saying they are not aware that websites can use information in this
way. In 2013 there are no differences by gender or by socio-economic group.
Figure 74: Awareness of personalised advertising among 12-15s: 2012-2013
Aware of personalised advertising

Not aware

Dont know

%
2012 Aged 12-15

2013 Aged 12-15

Boys 12-15

Girls 12-15

45

48

46

42

10

41

50

45

44

11

ABC1

48

42

10

C2DE

47

43

10

QC37 Some websites use information about what you have been looking at or searching for online, or information about what you have clicked that
you 'like' online to show advertising that is personalised to you. For example, if you had been looking at a particular t-shirt on a website, or clicked
that you 'liked' a product, a different website that you visit later could show you an advert for that item. Before today, were you aware that websites
could use information to show you personalised advertising in this way? (spontaneous response, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (568 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565 aged 12-15 in 2013, 275 boys aged 12-15, 290
girls aged 12-15, 268 ABC1, 297 C2DE). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013, between boys and girls aged 12-15
and between ABC1 and C2DE socio-economic groups
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were asked how they felt
about websites using information about what they have looked at or liked online to show
them personalised advertising. They were prompted with four possible responses and asked
to say whether they thought it was a good thing, a bad thing, neither good nor bad, or
whether they were unsure. Figure 75 shows that among those aware of personalised
advertising, one in four (26%) think it is a good thing, one in five (21%) think its a bad thing,
slightly more than one in three think its neither good nor bad (36%) and around one in five
(18%) are unsure. A majority of 12-15s (53%) are therefore uncertain as to whether it is a
good or a bad thing.
82

The description provided was: Some websites use information about what you have been looking at
or searching for online, or information about what you have clicked that you like online to show
advertising that is personalised to you. For example, if you had been looking at a particular t-shirt on a
website, or clicked that you liked a product, a different website that you visit later could show you an
advert for that item.

106

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There are no differences by gender or by socio-economic group, shown in Figure 75.

Compared to 2012, 12-15s are now more likely to feel that personalised advertising is
neither good nor bad (36% vs. 24%) and are less likely to feel that it is a bad thing (21% vs.
33%).
Figure 75: Attitudes to personal advertising among 12-15s aware of this type of
advertising: 2012-2013
%
21

24

33

18

17

18

15

36

37

34

39

21

20

22

20

20

Don't know how I

feel about it

32

It's neither good

nor bad

22

Personalised
advertising is a
bad thing

23

26

26

26

26

26

2012 Aged
12-15

2013 Aged
12-15

Boys 12-15

Girls 12-15

ABC1

C2DE

Personalised
advertising is a
good thing

QC38 How do you feel about websites using information about what you look at or like online to show you personalised advertising? (prompted
responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who are aware of personalised advertising (248 aged 12-15 in 2012, 262 aged 12-15 in 2013, 133 boys aged 12-15, 129
girls aged 12-15, 127 ABC1, 135 C2DE) Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013, between boys and girls aged 12-15 and
between ABC1 and C2DE socio-economic groups
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Visiting new websites

8-11s continue to be more likely than 12-15s only to visit websites that they
have visited before
Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home were asked to say whether, in most weeks,
they only visited sites that they had visited before, or visited one or two sites that they hadnt
visited before, or visited lots of sites they hadnt visited before.
A majority of 8-11s (61%) say they only visit websites theyve visited before, compared to
around half of 12-15s (49%). 12-15s are more likely than 8-11s to say they visit lots of
websites they havent visited before (9% vs. 3%) and are also more likely than 8-11s to say
they visit one or two websites they havent visited before (38% vs. 31%).
There are no differences by gender among 8-11s. Among 12-15s, boys are more likely than
girls to say they visit lots of websites they havent visited before (13% vs. 5%). There are no
differences by socio-economic group. Compared to 2012, there has been no change in
childrens experience of visiting websites, either among 8-11s or 12-15s.

107

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 76: 8-15s experience of visiting websites they havent visited before: 20112013
%

2
6

32

3
7

5
6

34

35

3
5

4
4

25

26

56

2
8

2
9

41

38

Don't know

31
38

68
59

5
3

65

61

55

51

47

49

Visit lots of
websites that you
haven't visited
before
Visit maybe one
or two websites
that you haven't
visited before
Only visit
websites that
you've visited
before

2011

2012

2013

Aged 8-15

2011

2012

2013

Aged 8-11

2011

2012

2013

Aged 12-15

QC17 In most weeks when you use the internet, on any type of computer would you say that you.?
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home (1025 aged 8-15 in 2011, 1048 aged 8-15 in 2012, 1045 aged 8-15 in 20213, 496 aged 8-11
in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance
testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Two in three internet users aged 12-15 make checks when visiting websites
they have not visited before
Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home were shown a list of types of checks that
could be made when visiting websites for the first time (either when looking for information or
when buying/selling things), and were asked to say which, if any, of these checks they would
make. 83
Close to two in three 12-15s (66%) said they would check at least one of the things on the
list. One in six (17%) 12-15s who use the internet said that they do not make any of these
checks. As in 2012, no single check is made by a majority of 12-15s.
There is only one difference by gender in 2013; girls are more likely than boys to check the
general look and appearance of the site (33% vs. 23%). As in 2012, 12-15s in ABC1
households are more likely than those in C2DE households to check the general look and
appearance of the site (35% vs. 22%).
Since 2012, 12-15 are more likely to check how up-to-date the information is on a site (26%
vs. 18%), and are less likely to check whether there is a padlock or other symbol to indicate
that the site is secure (20% vs. 26%), or check which country the website is from (9% vs.
14%).

83

The question was amended in 2011 to: Think about the websites that you visit that you havent
visited before, either when youre looking for information online or if youre buying or selling things
online. Which, if any, of these things would you check? A dont know option was also included; this
had not been included in previous years. To ensure comparability over time, those stating dont
know in 2011-2013 have been removed from the analysis.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 77: Checks made by 12-15s when visiting websites they havent visited before:
2011-2013
g
y
g
y
visited before: 2011-2013
General
appearance
and look of
the site

Padlock
or other
symbol

Ask
Whether
someone
its a
else if they company
have been you have
to the
heard of
website

Compare How up to Symbol to

information date it is indicate a
across
quality
sites
standard

Links to
the site
from
another
trusted
site

Who/
which
company
has
created
the site

Check
which
country
the
website
is from*

Check the Never go to

website websites
name to Ive not
see if it
visited
ends in
before
.org,/.com
or .co.uk**

Any of
these
checks
made

63

28 28
23

25 26

20 21

24 23

21 20

16 16

20 18

26

23
18

25
19

16

12

17 16 15

14 15 14

14
9

21

66 66

17

12

11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13
QC18 Thinking about the websites that you visit that you havent visited before either when youre looking for information online or if youre buying or selling things online.
Which, if any of these things would you check? (prompted responses, multi-coded) * This code was added in 2012 **This code was added in 2013 in order to report a trended
measure these have been excluded from the Any of these checks made analysis in 2012
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home (485 aged 12-15 in 2011, 499 aged 12-15 in 2012, 494 aged 12-15 in 2013).- excludes DK responses - Significance
testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Among those children aged 12-15 who say that, in most weeks, they visit either lots of, or
one or two, websites that they havent visited before, the five most popular checks are:
checking the general appearance and look of the site (35%); asking someone else if they
have been to the website (28%); look at how up-to-date the information on the site is (26%),
checking to see if there is a padlock or other symbol (23%) and seeing whether it is a
company that they have heard of (19%). This group are more likely to make any of these
checks than the 12-15s who say they only visit websites theyve visited before (73% vs.
56%).

Social networking profile settings

In 2013, 12-15s are less likely to say their social networking profile can be seen
only by their friends
As in 2012, most children aged 12-15 84 with an active social networking profile say that their
profile can be seen only by their friends (65%), while around one in 12 say it can be seen by
anyone (8% for 12-15s). Compared to 2012, 12-15s are now less likely to say their profile
can be seen only by their friends (65% vs. 75%).
Since 2011, the questionnaire has also asked whether a childs profile could be seen only by
my friends and their friends. In 2013, 12-15s are more likely to give this response (25%
vs.17 %).
By combining the responses of children who say their profile can either be seen by anyone,
or by friends and their friends, it is possible to show the incidence of children who may be
contacted through their social networking profile by people who are not directly known to
84

Low base sizes prevent analysis among 8-11s.

109

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

them. This accounts for one in three 12-15s (33%), and is more likely now than in 2012
(22%).
In 2013, boys aged 12-15 are more likely than girls aged 12-15 to say their profile can be
seen only by friends and their friends (31% vs. 19%).
There are no differences by socio-economic group among 8-15s when comparing ABC1s to
C2DEs.
Four in five children with an under-age profile on Facebook, Bebo or MySpace (those aged
8-12) say their profile can be seen only by friends (79%; unchanged since 2012) with around
one in 20 saying their profile is visible to anyone (6%).
Figure 78: Visibility of social networking site profiles, by age: 2011-2013
Can only be seen by my friends and no one else
Can be seen by anyone
Don't know

Can only be seen by my friends and their friends

Can't be seen

2011 Aged 12-15

69

2012 Aged 12-15

22

75

2013 Aged 12-15

17

65

Boys aged 12-15

5
5

25

62

31

Girls aged 12-15

69

ABC1

67

25

C2DE

69

22

19

74

2011 Aged 8-12 with a profile on Facebook/ Bebo/ MySpace

10

17
83

2012 Aged 8-12 wih a profile on Facebook/ Bebo/ MySpace

12

79

2013 Aged 8-12 wih a profile on Facebook/ Bebo/ MySpace

0%

20%

40%

14
60%

80%

3
6
100%

QC24 And do you know if this profile can be seen by other people?( Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who have a social networking site profile that is currently active (403 aged 12-15 in 2011, 446 aged 12-15 in 2012, 378 aged
12-15 in 2013, 178 boys aged 12-15, 200 girls aged 12-15, 214 ABC1, 249 C2DE, 221 aged 8-12 with a profile on Facebook/ Bebo /MySpace in 2011
228 aged 8-12 with a profile on Facebook/ Bebo /MySpace in 2012, 168 aged 8-12 with a profile on Facebook/ Bebo /MySpace in 2013). Significance
testing shows any changes between 2012 and 2013 and between boys and girls aged 12-15 and between ABC1 and C2DE in 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Attitudes towards sharing personal information online

12-15s differentiate between types of personal information that can be shared
online, preferring to keep their contact details private
As shown in Figure 79 and Figure 80, children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or
elsewhere were prompted with a list of information types that people could show on the
internet, and were asked how they felt about people seeing each type of information. As in
2012, there is some variation in the types of information that children aged 12-15 are happy
for people to see online. The 12-15s are less inclined to share personal details such as their
home address, their mobile number or their email address with anyone, and are more
inclined to share information about how they are feeling or what they are doing, and to share
photos online.

110

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

The majority of 12-15s would either want nobody, or just their friends 85, to see each type of
information that was asked about. Very few 12-15s would be happy for anyone to see their
home address (1%) mobile phone number (1%) or email address online (2%).
There are some differences by gender. Girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to say
they would want their friends and nobody else to see information about what they are feeling
(63% vs. 51%), holiday photos (71% vs. 50%) or photos of them out with friends (69% vs.
51%). In contrast, boys are more likely to want only friends and their friends to see photos of
them out with friends (21% vs. 12%), holiday photos (19% vs. 11%) or their mobile phone
number (8% vs. 3%).
There is only one difference by household socio-economic group: 12-15s in DE households
are more likely than all 12-15s to say that they would be happy for anyone to see information
about what they are doing (13% vs. 7%).
There have been two changes in the extent to which 12-15s are willing to share personal
information online, since 2012. They are more likely to say they would only want friends and
their friends to see their mobile phone number (6% vs. 3%) and are less likely to say they
would not want anyone to see information about what they are doing (15% vs. 20%).
Figure 79: Personal information that children aged 12-15 are willing to share online:
2011-2013
Would not want anyone to see this
Would only want my friends/ their friends to see this
Don't know
0%

Would only want my friends to see this and nobody else

Would be happy for anyone to see this

20%

2011
Home address

Mobile phone number

Information about how you are

feeling

60%

80%

55

2012

59

2013

58

2011

45

2012

44

2013

43

6 1 7

47

50

22

3 21

43

37

2013

5 4

49

2013

26

41 5

44

53

2012

32

31

35

25

3 4 2
35

2012

2011

100%

36

38

2011
Email address

40%

58

7
7

7 2 5
7

60
57

6 2

7
8

11

3
6

QC32A-G - Im going to read out some types of information that people can show on the internet. For each one Id like you to say which one of the
statements on this card best describes how you feel about who could see each type of information (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Those children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (550 aged 12-15 in 2011, 568 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565 aged 12-15 in 2013).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

85

It is worth bearing in mind that, while this question does not focus specifically on social networking,
some children could be referring to friends in the widest possible terms, as shown in Figure 62,
rather than a smaller number of more personal or close friends.

111

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 80: Personal information that children aged 12-15 are willing to share online:
2011-2013
Would not want anyone to see this
Would only want my friends/ their friends to see this
Don't know
0%
20%

Information about what you are

doing

Photos from your holidays

Photos from being out with your

friends

2011

20

2012

20

Would only want my friends to see this and nobody else

Would be happy for anyone to see this
40%

60%

80%

58

10

62

2013

15

60

2011

15

62

2012

15

13

67
15

2011

14

60

17

12

65
60

5
7

12

61

2013

14

13

12

10

2013

2012

100%

3
6

5
8

16
17

6
7

QC32A-G - Im going to read out some types of information that people can show on the internet. For each one Id like you to say which one of the
statements on this card best describes how you feel about who could see each type of information (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Those children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (550 aged 12-15 in 2011, 568 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565 aged 12-15 in 2013).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

The role of TV and the internet

Over three-quarters of 12-15s agree that these media increase their
understanding of different people and current issues
In 2013, children aged 12-15 who watch television at home were prompted with a series of
statements about television and asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with
these statements. Children aged 12-15 who go online at home or elsewhere were also
prompted with a similar statements about the internet:

Television/ going online increases my understanding of whats going on in the world,

current issues and news

Television/ going online makes me aware of different types of people and different
opinions

Television/ going online helps me form my own opinion about things

On TV/ when I go online I see people like me

Figure 81 shows the results for each statement among 12-15s. A majority of 12-15s agree
that both television and the internet increase their understanding of what is going on in the
world, with around three in ten of users agreeing strongly (30% for television and 34% for the
internet). Compared to internet users, television viewers are, however, more likely to
disagree (12% vs. 8%).

112

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

A majority of each type of user also agree that television and the internet make them aware
of different types of people and different opinions, with more than three in ten agreeing
strongly. TV viewers are more likely to disagree with this statement (11% vs. 6%).
Internet users aged 12-15 are more likely than those who watch television to agree that
going online helps them form their own opinions (74% vs. 66%).
Compared to the other statements, there is less agreement among both television viewers
and internet users that when using these media, they see people like themselves. While a
majority of internet users agree overall, only a minority of TV users agree. Internet users are
therefore more likely than TV viewers to agree strongly (22% vs. 13%).
There is only one difference by gender: boys aged 12-15 who watch television are more
likely than girls to disagree that it helps them form their own opinions (18% vs. 11%).
Figure 81: Attitudes towards television and going online, among users aged 1215:2013
Agree slightly

Agree strongly
0%

Increases my
understanding of
whats going on in
the world, current
issues and news
Makes me aware of
different types of
people and different
opinions
Helps me form my
own opinion about
things

20%

TV

Internet

13

22

20

42

34

14

17

27

37

11

13

41

32

11

42

25

TV

12

13

42

39

Internet

100%

13

45

36

TV

80%

46

34

Internet

Disagree

60%

30

TV

Internet

I see people like me

Neither/ Don't know

40%

10

26

23

18

QC5 A -D/ QC39 A-D Im going to read some things about television/ the internet and going online , for each one please say which of the options on the
card applies to you? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Those children aged 12-15 who watch TV at home (564) / Those children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (565).
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

113

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 6

Parents and childrens concerns and

attitudes
This section looks at parents attitudes towards their childrens use of television, radio and
the internet, and the extent to which they have specific concerns about television
programmes, the internet, mobile phones and any games that their children play. It also
documents childrens attitudes to their use of media.
It concludes by looking at 12-15s negative experiences of using the internet on mobile
phones, their experience of risky online behaviour, and safe and risky online activities that
they may have undertaken.
Key findings
Parents concerns and attitudes

Compared to 2012, concerns about media content for each of television, internet, mobile,
gaming and radio are unchanged among parents of 5-15s overall. Parents of 3-4s and 57s tend to be most concerned about television, while parents of older children are
equally concerned about television, the internet and mobiles.

One in five parents of 5-15s (19%) are concerned about the things their child has seen
on pre-watershed TV, with 3% very concerned. These concerns relate to offensive
language, sexually explicit content, and violence.

Around one in four of parents say they are very /fairly concerned about: their child being
bullied online/ cyberbullying (24%); their child downloading viruses (23%) or giving out
personal details to inappropriate people (22%). One in five or less are concerned about
who their child is in contact with online (19%); online content (16%); that their child might
bully others online (14%) or online sharing/accessing of copyrighted material (12%).

About one in four parents of 8-15s have concerns about mobile phones. They are most
concerned about their child being bullied through their mobile phone, or about them
sharing their personal details with inappropriate people. About one in five parents whose
child has a smartphone are also very/fairly concerned about their child downloading
bogus or malicious apps, or the use of location-based services on their childs phone.

One in five parents whose childs mobile phone is on a monthly contract have received
unexpectedly high bills in the past 12 months; 10% say this is due to their child
exceeding their call allowance and 5% say it is due to their child exceeding their data
allowance.

Around one in eight parents of 5-15s whose child plays games are concerned about
gaming content (13%) and who their child might be gaming with through their device
(12%). Both of these measures are unchanged since 2012.

Most parents of 5-15s who go online at home trust their child to use the internet safely
(83%), and feel that the benefits of the internet outweigh the risks (70%). Around half of
parents of 3-4s trust their child to use the internet safely (52%) with most (63%) saying
that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Around half of parents of 5-15s who go online at home (47%) say their child knows more
about the internet than they do. Fourteen per cent of parents of 3-4s agree with this
statement.

114

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Childrens dislikes and experiences

Across the different media that children use, dislikes about inappropriate content (seeing
things that are too old for them or things that make them feel sad, frightened or
embarrassed) have decreased since 2012 for both 8-11s and 12-15s, for television and
the internet.

In 2013, both 8-11s and 12-15s are less likely to say they would not tell anyone if they
saw something online which they found worrying, nasty or offensive. Children aged 8-11
and 12-15 are most likely to report such content to a family member. Children aged 8-15
are no more likely than in 2012 to say that they have seen anything like this online in the
past 12 months, although this is more likely for 12-15s (20%) than for 8-11s (9%).

Seven per cent of 8-15s with a mobile phone say they have had personal experience of
being bullied through a mobile in the past year. Four per cent of 8-11s and 9% of 12-15s
have experienced being bullied online in the past year. Neither bullying online or through
a mobile phone have changed since 2012 or 2011.

Nineteen per cent of 12-15s say they have personally had a negative experience, other
than bullying, online or via a mobile phone, in the past year; the most likely experience is
of gossip being spread (13%).

Eleven per cent of internet users aged 12-15 said they had taken the contact details of
someone they had only met online, and 5% said they had sent personal information to
someone they had only met online. These activities are no more likely than in either
2011 or 2012. In 2013, they are more common for those 12-15s with social networking
profiles that may be visible to people not known to them, than for those whose profiles
are visible only to their friends.

Internet users aged 12-15 are less likely than in 2012 to know how to block, and to have
blocked, messages from someone they did not want to hear from, and are less likely to
know how to delete, and to have deleted, the history record of the websites they have
visited.

Parents concerns about media

A minority of parents express concerns about the media content their child
has access to
Parents were asked specific questions about their childs use of different media, in order to
gauge the extent to which they are concerned about their childs exposure to potentially
harmful or inappropriate content. Figure 82 summarises parental concern about the content
that children encounter or engage with, to show how the level of concern varies for each
medium. 86
In 2013, parents of 5-15s are most likely to be concerned about television (21%) and mobile
content (19%), followed by online (16%) and gaming content (13%), with relatively few
concerned about radio content (4%).
Parents of 3-4s who use each medium are twice as likely to be concerned about television
content (12%) than online (6%), gaming (5%) or radio content (5%). This pattern is repeated
for parents of 5-7s who use each medium, although they are more likely than parents of 3-4s
to be concerned about television content (20% vs. 12%).
86

The comparisons are drawn between users of each medium, as opposed to being based on all
parents irrespective of whether their child uses that medium.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In contrast, parents of 8-11s who use each medium are most likely to be concerned about
television content (23%), least likely to be concerned about radio content (2%) and equally
likely to be concerned about online (18%), mobile (16%) and gaming content (14%). Parents
of 12-15s are equally likely to be concerned about television (21%), online (20%) and mobile
content (20%), followed by gaming content (16%) and are less likely to be concerned about
radio content (4%).
Figure 82: Parental concerns about media content, among users of each medium, by
age: 201387
Very/ fairly concerned
0%

20%
12

TV

Aged 3-4

40%

Internet

Not very concerned

Neither/ Don't know

60%

80%

24

Not at all concerned

100%

60

22

64

Mobile phone
Games

Radio

TV

Aged 5-15

Mobile phone

13

41

25

55

23
20

68
6

30

44

32

54

Mobile phone
Games

Radio

20

75

23

Internet

16

Mobile phone

Radio

69

18
6

18
14

Games

Aged 12-15

37

34

TV

Aged 8-11

37

39
6

TV
Internet

34

19
4

68
8

16

Games

Aged 5-7

20

21

Internet

Radio

75

13

29

24

51
55
66

21
20

11

Mobile phone

20

16
4

37

24

TV

Radio

36

38

Internet
Games

36

11

9
24

36

33

42

28

36

36

31

45
67

QP18A/ QP57A/ QP68A/QP86A/QP25A - Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs TV viewing /internet
use/ mobile phone use/ games playing/ radio listening ? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child watches TV at home (678 aged 3-4, 1671 aged 5-15, 524 aged 5-7, 583 aged 8-11, 564 aged 12-15)/ Uses the
internet at home (219 aged 3-4, 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15)/ Has their own mobile phone (674 aged 5-15, 188 aged
8-11, 467 aged 12-15)/ Plays games (386 aged 3-4, 1486 aged 5-15, 447 aged 5-7, 535 aged 8-11, 504 aged 12-15)/ Listens to the radio at home (168
aged 3-4,575 aged 5-15, 131 aged 5-7, 200 aged 8-11, 244 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parental concerns about the media their child uses are unchanged since 2012
Figure 83 shows trends over time with regard to concerns about television, online, mobile,
gaming and radio content, among parents of users aged 5-15.
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the proportion of parents saying they are
concerned overall (very/ fairly) or not concerned overall (not very/ not at all concerned)
87

There are no data shown for children aged 3-4 or 5-7 for mobile phones, due to the low base of
children of this age with a mobile phone.

116

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

across the media their child uses. Since 2009, parents overall are less likely to be concerned
about television, online, and gaming content, with the biggest decline in concern being for
online and television content. In comparison, numbers of parents saying they are very, or
fairly, concerned about mobile and radio content have been relatively consistent over this
time period.
Figure 83: Parental concerns about media content, among parents of 5-15s using
each media type: 2009, 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

TV

Neither/ Don't know

36

2009

Mobile phones

2013

16

2011

16

2012

17

Radio

2011
2012
2013

6
7

8
6

7
4 5

45
43

34
8

2009

40

32

13

2013

37

32
8

16

41

30

19

2012

38

39

27

2011

31

19

2009

33

35

22

2009

37
25

17

2013

Gaming

2012

39

34

33
23

35

30

2009
2011

27

21

2013

27

28

23

2012

Internet

31

2011

Not at all concerned

Not very concerned

41
21

44

22

52

20

56

25

55

27

56

23

65

22

67

23

68

QP18A/ QP57A/ QP68A/QP86A/QP25A Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs TV viewing /internet use/
mobile phone use? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of users of each media) aged 5-15 (VARIABLE BASE significance testing show s any change between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental concerns about television content

Parents of 8-11s are now more likely not to be concerned about television content
Figure 84 shows that since 2012, levels of concern about television content are unchanged
for parents of 5-7s and 12-15s. Parents of 8-11s are now more likely to say they are not
concerned (72% vs. 65%).
Results do not vary in 2013 by gender within age, or by household socio-economic group.
Figure 84: Parental concerns about television content, by age: 2009, 2011- 2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2009

20%

12

2013

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

36

23

55

69
71
8

40
26
20

2013

20

67
74
74

40

2009

34

23

58

65

6
29

72
10

30

2011

53

27

2009

52

2012

2013

100%

61

2009

2012

Aged 12-15

9
8

21

2011

80%

83

31

2011

Not very/ not at all concerned

60%

2011
2012

40%

60

60

2012

22

10

68

2013

21

11

69

QP18A Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs TV viewing? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child watches TV at home (678 aged 3-4 in 2013, 2018 aged 5-15 in 2009, 1702 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1709 aged 5-15
in 2012, 1671 aged 5-15 in 2013, 567 aged 5-7 in 2009, 567 aged 5-7 in 2011, 568 aged 5-7 in 2012, 524 aged 5-7 in 2013, 764 aged 8-11 in 2009,
577 aged 8-11 in 2011, 572 aged 8-11 in 2012, 583 aged 8-11 in 2013, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011, 569 aged 12-15 in 2012, 564 aged 12-15 in 2013).
Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parental concerns about pre-watershed television content

One in five parents of 5-15s are concerned about the things their child has
seen on television, pre-watershed
In 2013, parents of 3-15s whose child watches TV at home were asked to think specifically
about television programmes that are on during the day and evening up until 9pm, and were
asked how concerned, if at all, they were about the types of things their child had seen on
TV in the past 12 months.
The results are shown in Figure 85. One in five parents of children aged 5-15 (19%) are
concerned about the types of things their child has seen on pre-watershed TV, with the
majority (79%) saying they are either not very, or not at all, concerned. Parents of 12-15s are
less likely than parents of 8-11s (52%) and parents of 5-7s (53%) to say they are not at all
concerned (42%).

118

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Levels of concern are lowest among parents of 3-4s, with one in ten concerned (11%) and
close to nine in ten (88%) saying they are not very, or not at all, concerned.
There is one difference by gender, parents of boys aged 5-7 are more likely to be concerned
compared to parents of girls (85% vs. 77%). Results do not differ by household socioeconomic group.
Figure 85: Parental concerns about pre-watershed television content, by age: 2013
Very concerned

Fairly concerned

0%

Not very concerned

20%

Aged 3-4

All aged 5-15

16

Aged 5-7

13

Aged 8-11

16

Aged 12-15

18

40%

17

Not at all concerned

60%

80%

Don't know
100%

71

31

49

28

53

28

52

36

42

QP19 - I would like you to think specifically about TV programmes that are on during the day and evening up until 9pm. So, thinking about your child's television
viewing, how concerned are you, if at all, by the types of things your child has seen on TV in the last 12 months? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents whose child watches TV a home (678 aged 3-4, 1671 aged 5-15, 524 aged 5-7, 583 aged 8-11, 564 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of children aged 3-15 who said they were concerned about the types of things their
child had seen on pre-watershed TV in the past 12 months were then asked what concerned
them about their childs TV viewing.
The results are shown in Figure 86, with the proportions rebased and expressed as a
proportion of parents whose child watches TV at home 88. One in five parents of 5-15s whose
child watches TV at home (19%) have concerns about what their child has seen on prewatershed TV in the past 12 months. Parents of 3-4s are less likely to be concerned (11%)
compared to parents of 5-7s (17%), parents of 8-11s (19%) and parents of 12-15s (20%).
One in 20 parents of children aged 3-4 who watch TV at home are concerned about
offensive language (6%) or violence (5%). All other concerns are expressed by less than one
in 20 parents of 3-4s.
A minority of parents of 5-7s who watch TV at home are concerned about offensive
language (9%), violence (8%) or sex/ sexually explicit content (7%). There are no concerns
that are more apparent among parents of 3-4s or 5-7s than among parents of older children.
Similarly, no concerns are more likely to occur among parents of 8-11s than among parents
of 12-15s or parents of 5-7s, although parents of 12-15s are more likely than parents of 888

The current data on watershed concerns are not directly comparable to the data previously published on
watershed concerns. This is due to data being collected from different sources with different methodologies. In
2013 the data was collected from the Media Literacy Tracker with children and parents, while in 2011 and 2012 it
was collected from an omnibus survey.

119

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

11s to be concerned about glamorisation of certain lifestyles (5% vs. 3%) and about
discriminatory treatment/ portrayal of people (based on age/ disability/ sexuality/ race or
religion) (3% vs. 1%).
There are some differences by gender. Parents of girls aged 5-7 are more likely than parents
of boys to say they are concerned about generally unsuitable content of a sexual / sexually
provocative nature (9% vs. 2%) or about the glamorisation of certain lifestyles (5% vs. 1%).
Parents of boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls to be concerned about
discriminatory treatment/ portrayal of people (based on age/ disability/ sexuality/ race or
religion) (5% vs. 1%).
Parents of 5-15s in DE households are also less likely than all parents of 5-15s to have
concerns about content that is unsuitable for younger people/ children (3% vs. 6%), while
parents in C1 households are more likely to have this particular concern (10% vs. 6%).
Figure 86: Types of concern about pre-watershed television content, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

ANY CONCERNS

11%

19%

17%

19%

20%

Offensive language

6%

11%

9%

11%

12%

Sex/ sexually explicit content

4%

10%

7%

10%

11%

Violence (in general)

5%

9%

8%

9%

9%

Generally unsuitable content of a sexual

nature/sexually provocative

2%

7%

5%

6%

8%

Unsuitable content for younger people/ children

4%

6%

6%

6%

6%

Portrayal of anti-social behaviour

2%

6%

4%

5%

7%

Unsuitable content aired pre-watershed

2%

4%

3%

4%

5%

Overtly sexual performances

2%

4%

2%

4%

4%

Glamorisation of certain lifestyles

2%

4%

2%

3%

5%

Nakedness/ naked bodies

2%

3%

2%

4%

3%

Lack of respect towards adults

0%

2%

1%

3%

2%

Discriminatory treatment/ portrayal of people

0%

2%

1%

1%

3%

Makes me feel embarrassed/ dont feel

comfortable watching with children

1%

1%

1%

2%

1%

Negative portrayal of women

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Makes me feel embarrassed/ dont feel

comfortable watching with other adults

1%

1%

1%

1%

2%

Invasion of privacy/ not respecting peoples

privacy

0%

1%

0%

1%

0%

Graphic news coverage

0%

0%

1%

0%

0%

Adverts/ advertising unsuitable for children

1%

0%

1%

0%

0%

QP20 - Still thinking specifically about what your child watches during the day and up until 9pm in the evening, what kind of things concern you about what your
child has seen on TV in the last 12 months? concerned about pre-9pm TV content child watches (Spontaneous responses, multi coded) incidences have
been rebased to be shown as a proportion of children aged 3-15 who watch TV at home
Base: Parents whose child watches TV at home (678 aged 3-4, 1671 aged 5-15, 524 aged 5-7, 583 aged 8-11, 564 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parents of 3-15s with pre-watershed television content concerns were prompted with a list of
types of television programmes and were asked which, if any, prompted concerns in relation
to their childs TV viewing. These data have been rebased and expressed as a proportion of
parents whose child watches TV at home 89.
There is no particular type of programme that more than five per cent of parents of 3-4s are
likely to be concerned about. Eight per cent of parents of 5-7s are concerned about soaps.
Parents of 5-7s are more likely than parents of 3-4s to be concerned about soaps (8% vs.
4%), childrens programmes (5% vs. 2%) or magazine-style shows (2% vs. 0%). Eight per
cent of parents of 8-11s are also concerned about soaps; all other programme types are a
concern for fewer than five per cent of parents of 8-11s. One in ten parents of 12-15s are
concerned about reality programmes (11%) and this is higher than for 3-4s (2%), 5-7s (4%)
or 8-11s (5%).
There is one difference by gender. Parents of boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents
of girls to be concerned about films (11% vs. 4%). Parents of 5-15s in DE households are
less likely to have concerns about reality programmes, compared to all parents (4% vs. 7%),
while AB parents are more likely to have concerns (11% vs. 7%).
Figure 87: Types of television programmes that concern parents whose child watches
TV, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

ANY CONCERNS

11%

19%

17%

19%

20%

Soaps

4%

8%

8%

8%

7%

Reality programmes

2%

7%

4%

5%

11%

Films

3%

6%

5%

5%

8%

Dramas

3%

4%

3%

4%

5%

News programmes

2%

4%

4%

4%

4%

Music videos

1%

3%

3%

4%

3%

Talent shows

1%

3%

2%

3%

4%

Documentaries

2%

3%

2%

2%

3%

Childrens programmes

2%

2%

5%

2%

1%

Programme trailers

1%

2%

2%

2%

1%

Current affairs programmes

1%

2%

1%

1%

2%

Magazine style shows

0%

1%

2%

1%

1%

General entertainment (including quiz shows)

1%

1%

1%

2%

2%

Sports programmes

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

Adverts

0%

1%

1%

1%

0%

Cartoons

0%

0%

1%

0%

0%

QP21 - And which of these types of programme concern you regarding your child's television viewing, during the day and up until 9pm in the evening, in the last 12
months? (prompted responses, multi coded) incidences have been rebased to be shown as a proportion of children aged 3-15 who watch TV at home
Base: Parents whose child watches TV at home (678 aged 3-4, 1671 aged 5-15, 524 aged 5-7, 583 aged 8-11, 564 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

89

See footnote 88.

121

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental attitudes towards the internet

Parents of children aged 3-15 who use the internet at home were asked about the extent to
which they agreed or disagreed with a range of statements about their childs use of the
internet.

Most parents trust their child to use the internet safely

Figure 88 shows that the majority of parents continue to agree with the statement: I trust my
child to use the internet safely (83%). Slightly less than one in ten parents of all 5-15s (7%)
disagree. Parents agreement that they trust their child increases with each age group, as
was the case in 2011 and 2012.
While the majority of parents of 3-4s agree (52%), they are much less likely to agree, and
are much more likely to disagree than parents of 5-7s, 8-11s and 12-15s.
In 2013, as in 2012, there are no differences in the extent of agreement by gender within
age, or among parents of 5-15s by socio-economic group.
There has been no change in the extent of agreement for any age group of child, compared
to 2012.
Figure 88: Parental agreement I trust my child to use the internet safely, by age:
2011-2013
Agree
Aged 3-4
All aged 5-15

Neither/DK
32

2011

12
8

83

2011

19
68

2012

12
19

82

8
7

11

2012

85

2013

83

2011

88

2012

90

2013
20%

40%

9
7
3

89
0%

7
18

19

72

2011

10

63

2013

Aged 12-15

84

2013

Aged 8-11

15

81

2012

Aged 5-7

Disagree

52

2013

60%

8
4

80%

100%

QP49B Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to your child? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in
2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529
aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

The majority of parents continue to feel that the benefits of the internet
outweigh the risks
The majority of parents of 5-15s agree with this statement (70%), but more than one in ten
parents of children aged 5-15 (12%) disagree. In 2013, there is no variation in level of
agreement by the age of the child. The majority of parents of 3-4s also agree with this
statement (63%) with agreement at a similar level to those of parents of 5-7s (67%), parents
of 8-11s (70%) and parents of 12-15s (71%).

122

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There has been no change in the levels of agreement for any age group of child compared
to 2012.
In 2013 parents of boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls to agree (76% vs.
66%). There are no differences by household socio-economic group.
Figure 89: Parental agreement the benefits of the internet for my child outweigh
any risks, by age: 2011-2013
Agree
Aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2011

Neither/DK
63

26

65

2012

Aged 12-15

19

15
17

70

18
21

2013

67

2011

65

15
24
16

17

2013

70

2011

69

16
18

20%

13
15

71
0%

12

18
75

2013

10

18

67

2012

12

23

64

2012

13

18

59

2011
2012

Aged 8-11

12

70

2013

Aged 5-7

Disagree

16
40%

60%

80%

10
13
100%

QP49A Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to your child? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in
2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529
aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Close to half of parents say that their child knows more about the internet than
they do
Nearly half of all parents of a child aged 5-15 (47%) agree with the statement: my child
knows more about the internet than I do. Agreement increases with each age group, with
one in five parents of a 5-7 year-old agreeing (19%), compared to more than four in ten
parents of an 8-11 year-old (44%) and six in ten parents of 12-15s (63%).
One in seven (14%) parents of children aged 3-4 also agree with this statement, with three in
four (76%) disagreeing.
Compared to 2012, parents of 8-11s are more likely to agree (44% vs. 35%) and less likely
to disagree (43% vs. 54%).
In 2013, parents of girls aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of boys to disagree (26%
vs. 18%). As in 2012, parents of children aged 5-15 in AB households are less likely to
agree, compared to all parents (34% vs. 47% in 2013). In 2013, however, parents in C2 and
DE households are less likely than all parents to disagree (32% for C2s and 27% for DEs vs.
39%).

123

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 90: Parental agreement my child knows more about the internet than I do,
by age: 2011-2013
Agree
Aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2011

Aged 5-7

Neither/ DK

14

49
46

2013

47

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

39
74
70

12

69
12

43
35

10
44

45
54
43

14

2011

Aged 12-15

43

14

22
19

42

11

20

2011

Aged 8-11

76

2012

2011

Disagree

10

70

6
13

67
63

15

23
20
22

0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
QP49C Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to your child? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013,
396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 1215 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 91 summarises these attitude statements by age for 2013. Parents of 8-11s and 1215s are more likely to agree with I trust my child to use the internet safely compared to the
benefits of the internet outweigh any risks or my child knows more about the internet than I
do.
Parents of 5-7s are as likely to agree with I trust my child to use the internet safely as with
The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks while parents of 3-4s are more likely to
agree that the benefits of the internet outweigh any risks than agree that I trust my child to
use the internet safely.

124

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 91: Summary of parental agreement with attitudinal statements about the
internet, by age: 2013
Agree

Aged 3-4
The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks
My child knows more about internet than I do

Neither/DK

Disagree

52

I trust my child to use the internet safely

32
63

14

15
12

26

10

76

All aged 5-15

83

I trust my child to use the internet safely

The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks

10

70

My child knows more about internet than I do

47

18
39

14

12

Aged 5-7
72

I trust my child to use the internet safely

My child knows more about internet than I do

19

67

The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks

19

8
10

24

12

69

Aged 8-11
83

I trust my child to use the internet safely

My child knows more about internet than I do

70

The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks

44

18
43

14

12

Aged 12-15
89

I trust my child to use the internet safely

The benefits of the internet outweigh any risks
My child knows more about internet than I do
0%

71

16

63
20%

15
40%

60%

6
13

22
80%

100%

QP49A/ B/ C Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to your child? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 548 aged
12-15 in 2013)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013
0

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental concerns about the internet

Little change since 2012 in parental concerns about aspects of their childs
internet use
Parents of children aged 3-15 who use the internet at home were asked about the extent of
their concerns relating to online content, while parents of children aged 5-15 were asked
about their concerns about who their children were in contact with online, as shown in Figure
92 and Figure 93.
One in five parents of 5-15s (19%) are concerned about who their child is in contact with
online, with a similar proportion concerned about the content of the websites their child visits
(16%). Unlike concerns about online content, concerns about who the child is in contact with
increase with the age of the child. Parents of 12-15s are more likely to be concerned than
parents of 8-11s (26% vs. 16%) and parents of 8-11s are more likely to be concerned than
parents of 5-7s (16% vs. 9%). Parents of 12-15s are equally concerned as parents of 8-11s
about online content, and both are more concerned than parents of 5-7s (20% for 12-15s,
18% for 8-11s vs. 8% for 5-7s).
Concerns about online content, or who their child may be in contact with online, do not vary
by gender within age, nor are there any differences by household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 5-7s are less likely to be concerned about the content of the
websites that their child visits (8% vs. 13%). Since 2012, there has been no change in the
extent of parental concern about who their child is in contact with, for any group of children.
Figure 92: Parental concerns about online content, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2011

Aged 5-7

20%

Aged 12-15

2013

16

2011

16

13

18

2013

18

2013

57
60

32

54

29

38

36
7

20

37

22

17

41

20

42
38

24

2011

100%

38

39

25

2012

31
35

2011

80%

64

Not at all concerned

60%

17

2012

40%

22

2012

2013

Aged 8-11

7
23

2012

Not very concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

37

9
9

39
41

11

28
32

42

28

QP57A Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use The content on the websites
that they visit (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in
2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529
aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

126

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 93: Parental concerns about who their child may be in contact with online, by
age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Aged 5-7

40%

24

2011

All aged 5-15

Not very concerned

20%

2012

20

2013

19

2011

12

2012

11

2013

8
25

2011

100%

43

29

43

29

43

14

80%

25

Not at all concerned

60%

68

19

64

19

64
7

43

25

Aged 8-11
2012
2013

Aged 12-15

20
16

2013

24
26

48
49

29
7

30

2011
2012

25

11

32
37

12

33

30
28
28

QP57C Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use Who they are in contact with
online (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in
2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553
aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of 5-15s who use the internet at home were also asked how concerned they were
about their child giving out personal information online to inappropriate people, as shown in
Figure 94.
One in five parents (22%) of children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home are concerned
that their child may be giving out personal details to inappropriate people. Concern increases
with the age of the child (12% for 5-7s, 21% for 8-11s and 29% for 12-15s). However, the
majority of parents continue not to be concerned (71%).
There has been no change in the level of concern since 2012 for any age group of children.
In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age, or by household socio-economic
group.

127

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 94: Parental concerns about their child giving out personal details online to
inappropriate people, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned
0%

2011

15

2012

16

2013

12

2012
2013

2012
2013

46

26

45

66
65
6

24

20

21

46

24

47

25

35

33
29

100%

69

18

2011

Aged 12-15

23

14

29

80%

46

10

2011

Aged 8-11

Not at all concerned

60%

20

22

2013

Aged 5-7

26

2012

Not very concerned

40%

28

2011

All aged 5-15

Neither/ Don't know

20%

5
9

49
26
27
30

34
35
33

QP57F Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use Them giving out their personal
details to inappropriate people (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in
2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553
aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Levels of parental concern about cyber-bullying are similar to levels of concern about their
child giving out personal details online: two in three parents of 5-15s are not concerned
(68%), while around one in four (24%) are concerned. Concern also increases with the age
of the child, accounting for one in ten parents of 5-7s (11%), one in four parents of 8-11s
(24%) and one in three parents of 12-15s (32%).
There is only one difference by gender: parents of 8-11 year old boys are more likely than
parents of girls to say they are not concerned about their child being bullied online (76% vs.
66%). There are no differences by household socio-economic group, and there has been no
change in the level of concern about cyber-bullying since 2012.

128

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 95: Parental concerns about their child and cyber-bullying, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned
0%

All aged 5-15

20

2012

27

22

24

2011

Aged 8-11

2012
2013

Aged 12-15

14

16

2012
2013

11

100%

45

24

45

12

68

12

67
67

28

24

80%

46

16

25

Not at all concerned

60%

27

2011

Not very concerned

40%

2011

2013

Aged 5-7

Neither/ Don't know

20%

47

20

22

48

23

48

2011

32

2012

33

2013

32

10

35

25
26
28

32
30

QP57G- Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use Them being bullied online/ cyber
bullying (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011,
376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 1215 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

In 2012, a new question was added to the survey in order to establish the extent to which
parents were concerned about the possibility of their child bullying others online. In 2013,
one in seven (14%) parents of 5-15s who use the internet at home said they were
concerned, with parents of 8-11s and parents of 12-15s being more concerned than parents
of a child aged 5-7 (18% for 12-15s, 14% for 8-11s vs. 8%).
Parents of children aged 5-15 in AB households are more likely to be very concerned (8%
vs. 5%) and those in DE households are less likely to say they are not concerned (73% vs.
78%). There are no differences in extent of concern by gender within age. There has been
no change in the extent of concern since 2012.

129

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 96: Parental concerns about their child bullying others online, by age: 20122013
Neither/ Don't know

Very/ fairly concerned

0%

All aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

20%

Not very concerned

40%

Not at all concerned

60%

80%

2012

14

24

55

2013

14

24

54

2012

15

72

2013

16

71

2012

12

100%

58

23

Aged 8-11
2013

14

2012

17

2013

18

22
9

59
29

45

Aged 12-15
10

30

42

QP57H- Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use The possibility of them bullying
others online or making negative comments about other people online (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495
aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and
2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of 5-15s who use the internet at home were asked how concerned they were about
their childs illegal online sharing or accessing copyrighted material 90. They were also asked
about their child downloading or getting viruses or other harmful software installed on the PC
as a result of what they do online. Findings are shown in Figure 97 and Figure 98.
Around one in eight parents (12%) are concerned about their child illegally online sharing or
accessing copyrighted material. Parents of 12-15s (15%) are more likely to be concerned
than parents of 5-7s (18%).
Overall, one in four parents (23%) say they are concerned about their child downloading or
getting viruses or other harmful software installed on the PC. Concern increases with the
age of the child (12% for 5-7s vs. 20% for 8-11s and 31% for 12-15s).
As with most of the other areas of online parental concern that were asked about, a majority
of parents in each age group say they are not concerned about either of these measures.
There are no differences in the level of parental concern by the gender of the child or by the
household socio-economic group for either of these measures. There has also been no
change in the level of parental concern for either measure, among any group of child, since
2012.

90

Prior to 2013 this question asked about any illegal downloading / downloading of copyrighted
material.

130

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 97: Parental concerns about their child and online sharing/ accessing of
copyrighted material, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

All aged 5-15

20%

80%

24

55

**2012

14

25

54

26

53

12

**2011

**2012

10

13
5

55

26

56

25

57

17

33
8

15

2013

22

15

**2012

68

11

**2011

72

18

13

100%

73

13

15

**2012
2013

**2011

Aged 12-15

Not at all concerned

60%

14

2013

Aged 8-11

40%

**2011

2013

Aged 5-7

Not very concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

46
45

30

11

31

42

QP57D Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use Any illegal online sharing or
accessing of copyrighted material **NB Prior to 2013 this question asked about any illegal downloading or downloading of copyrighted material

(prompted responses, single coded)

Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011,
376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged
12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 98: Parental concerns about their child downloading viruses, by age: 20112013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

20%

2011

All aged 5-15

28

2013

Aged 5-7

2012
2013

16
12

2012
2013

Aged 12-15

44
44
65
63

18

30

64
6

24

21

20

23
24

16

100%

44

12

2011

Aged 8-11

19

2011

80%

21

23

Not at all concerned

60%

25

2012

Not very concerned

40%

43

25

44

25

47

2011

31

27

34

2012

30

10

25

35

2013

31

10

27

33

QP57E - Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use Downloading or getting viruses
or other harmful software installed on the PC as a result of what they do online (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011,
376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged
12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

131

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 99 below summarises the various concerns that parents of 5-15s who use the internet
at home were asked about. Among all parents, around one in four are concerned about their
child being bullied (24%), downloading viruses (23%) or giving out personal details to
inappropriate people (22%). One in five parents, or less, are concerned about who their child
may be in contact with online (19%), the content of the websites their child visits (16%), their
child potentially being a cyber-bully (14%) or about any illegal online sharing or accessing of
copyrighted material (12%).
Figure 99: Parental concerns about aspects of their childs internet use among 5-15s:
2013
Neither/ Don't know

Very/ fairly concerned

0%

20%

40%

Cyber-bullying

24

Downloading viruses

23

Giving out personal details to

inappropriate people

22

Who child may be in contact

with
Online content

Child being a cyber-bully

Online sharing/ accessing
copyrighted material

Not very concerned

12

45

44

26

45

43

29

14

80%

24

16

60%

24

19

Not at all concerned

39

37

24

54

26

53

QP57A/C-H Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these possible aspects of your childs internet use (prompted responses,
single coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (1426 aged 5-15 in 2013)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

132

100%

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental concerns about mobile phones

A minority of parents express concerns relating to their childs mobile phone
use
Parents of children aged 3-15 91 with their own mobile phone were asked about a range of
concerns relating to their childs use of their mobile phone. Figure 100 shows that the
proportion of parents who are concerned about what their child sees or reads on their mobile
phone is relatively low for each age group; accounting for 16% of parents of an 8-11 year old
and 20% of parents of a 12-15 year old.
A similar proportion of parents of 8-11s (13%) and 12-15s (19%) express concern about who
their child may be in contact with, as shown in Figure 100.
In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age among 12-15s 92. There are also no
differences by household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012 there has been no change, for either measure, in the proportion of
parents who say they are or are not concerned.
Figure 100: Parental concerns about mobile phone content and who their child is in
contact with via their mobile, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Concern about mobile

phone content
Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Concern about who they are

in contact with via their
mobile
Aged 8-11

2011

20%

13
15

2013

16

Not very concerned

40%

2012

50

29

50

29

2012

19

10

34

2013

20

36

2012

35

11

17
13

41
38
36

25

50

22

57

29

2011

20

2012

20

2013

19

100%

51

14

80%

29

19

2011

Not at all concerned

60%

2011

2013

Aged 12-15

Neither/ Don't know

0%

54
30
33
35

41
40
37

QP68A/ QP68C Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs mobile phone use/ What they see or read on
their mobile phone/ Who they are in contact with using their mobile phone ? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child has their own mobile phone (274 aged 8-11 in 2011, 238 aged 8-11 in 2012, 188aged 8-11 in 2013, 496 aged 12-15
in 2011, 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 467 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

As shown in Figure 101, parents of children aged 12-15 with a smartphone are no more
likely than parents whose child has a non-smartphone to be concerned about both these
aspects of their childs mobile phone use. This was not the case in 2012, when parents of

91

Parents of children aged 3-4 with their own mobile phone were only asked about concerns relating
to mobile phone content. Low base sizes prevent analysis among parents of 3-4s at this question.
Low base sizes also prevent analysis for this and subsequent questions among parents of children
aged 5-7.
92
Low base sizes prevent analysis by gender among children aged 8-11.

133

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

12-15s with a smartphone were more likely to have both of these types of concern,
compared to parents whose child had a non-smartphone.
Figure 101: Parental concerns about mobile phone content and who their child is in
contact with, among children aged 12-15 with a smartphone or a non-smartphone:
2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Concern about
mobile phone
content

Concern about
who they are
in contact with
via their
mobile

20%

Aged 12-15 with a

smartphone

20

Aged 12-15 with a nonsmartphone

19

Aged 12-15 with a

smartphone

18

10

Aged 12-15 with a nonsmartphone

22

Not very concerned

40%

60%

Not at all concerned

80%

100%

38

35

40

33

31

38

39

32

QP68A/ QP68C Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs mobile phone use/ What they see or read on
their mobile phone/ Who they are in contact with using their mobile phone ? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child has their own mobile phone (356 aged 12-15 with a smartphone, 111 aged 12-15 with a non-smartphone).
Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between those aged 12-15 with a smartphone and a non-smartphone
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of children aged 5-15 with their own mobile phone were asked about the extent of
any concerns about their child being bullied via calls/ texts/ emails to their mobile phone.
Figure 102 shows that one in five parents of 8-11s (20%) and one in four parents of 12-15s
(26%) say they are concerned about this aspect of their childs mobile phone use. Parents
of 8-11s are more likely than parents of 12-15s to say they are not at all concerned (54% vs.
38%). In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age or by household socioeconomic group.
There has been no change since 2012 in the levels of concern among parents of 8-11s or
12-15s.
In 2012, parents whose child had a mobile phone were asked whether they were concerned
about the possibility of their child bullying others or making negative comments about other
people via their mobile phone. Figure 102 shows these findings. One in eight parents (12%)
of a child aged 8-11 and around one in six (17%) parents of a 12-15 year old child say they
are concerned. But parents of 8-11s are more likely than parents of 12-15s to say they are
not at all concerned about their child bullying others in this way (65% vs. 46%).
In 2013, there are no differences by gender, within age or by household socio-economic
group. There has been no change since 2012 in either of these measures among parents of
8-11s and 12-15s.
Parents of 12-15s are more likely to be concerned about their child being bullied through
their mobile phone than about the possibility of their child bullying others in this way.

134

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Neither of the concerns shown in Figure 102 varies among parents of children aged 12-15
with a smartphone compared to children with a non-smartphone.
Figure 102: Parental concerns about their child being bullied via calls/ texts/ emails to
the childs mobile phone, and the possibility of their child bullying others/ making
negative comments about other people via their mobile phone, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Being bullied via calls/

texts/ emails to their mobile

20%

17

2011

Aged 8-11

2012

20

2013

20

Aged 12-15

The possibility of their

child bullying others /
making negative
comments about other
people via their mobile

25
6

2013

26

10

10

52
54

27

100%

52

22

2012

2012

80%

21

Not at all concerned

60%

23
8

22

2011

Not very concerned

40%

46
28

39

26

21

38

62

Aged 8-11
2013
2012

12
16

18
6

65
31

48

Aged 12-15
2013

17

28

46

QP68H/ QP68I Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs mobile phone use/ Being bullied via calls /texts/
emails/ messages to their mobile phone/ The possibility of them bullying others or making negative comments about other people via their mobile phone
(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child has their own mobile phone (274 aged 8-11 in 2011, 238 aged 8-11 in 2012, 188aged 8-11 in 2013, 496 aged 12-15
in 2011, 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 467 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

A similar proportion of parents who are concerned about their child being bullied through
their mobile phone are concerned about their child giving out personal details to
inappropriate people, as shown in Figure 103 (18% for 8-11s and 25% for 12-15s).
In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age, or by household socio-economic
group. There are no differences in the extent of concern between parents of 12-15s with a
smartphone and parents whose child has a non-smartphone.
There has been no change since 2012 in the proportion of parents saying they are
concerned, or not concerned, about this aspect of their childs mobile phone use.

135

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 103 : Parental concerns about their child giving out personal details to
inappropriate people, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned
0%

Aged 8-11

2011

21

2012

20

2013

2011

Aged 12-15

2012

2013

40%

12

27

25

80%

52

24

54

26

100%

47

24

24

Not at all concerned

60%

20

18

Not very concerned

Neither/ Don't know

20%

45

30

31

39

36

QP68E Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs mobile phone use/ Them giving out their personal details
to inappropriate people? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child has their own mobile phone (274 aged 8-11 in 2011, 238 aged 8-11 in 2012, 188aged 8-11 in 2013, 496 aged 12-15
in 2011, 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 467 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

In 2013, parents of children aged 8-11 and 12-15, whose child has a smartphone, were
asked about two additional concerns, as shown in Figure 104. One in four parents of 8-11s
with a smartphone (24%) are concerned about their child downloading malicious or bogus
apps. One in five parents of 12-15s with a smartphone (19%) also have this concern.
Parents of children with a smartphone are as concerned about their childs use of locationbased services, as they are about downloading malicious apps, with around one in five
parents having this concern (21% for parents of 8-11s and 18% for parents of 12-15s).
As with other concerns regarding mobile phones, a majority of parents of children with
smartphone are unconcerned about either of these measures.
In 2013, there are no differences for either of these measures by gender among 12-15s 93,
and no differences by socio-economic group.

93

Low base sizes prevent analysis by gender among 8-11s with a smartphone.

136

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 104: Parental concerns about their child downloading malicious or bogus apps
or sharing their location with other people, among smartphone users, by age: 2013

137

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Experience of receiving a higher than expected mobile phone bill in the last
year
In 2013, parents of children aged 5-15 whose child has a mobile phone on a monthly
contract were asked whether, in the last 12 months, they or their child had received a bill that
was much higher than normal for their childs mobile phone use.
Parents were prompted with a list of seven possible reasons and were asked to specify
which, if any, of these applied.
Figure 105 shows that among all 5-15s on a monthly contract, one in ten (10%) had received
a bill which was much higher than usual due to the child making more calls than was
included in their allowance, with one in 20 (5%) receiving such a bill for exceeding their
monthly data allowance (5%). Less than one in 20 received a bill much higher than usual
due to downloading paid-for content/ apps (2%) or for dialling numbers outside their call
allowance (2%).
Results do not vary by gender or by household socio-economic group.
Figure 105: Experience of receiving an unexpectedly high bill among parents of 5-15s
on a post-pay mobile phone tariff: 2013
Child made more calls than included in their allowance

Child used more data than included in their monthly

allowance

10%

5%

Child downloaded paid for content or applications (e.g

games, ringtones or other apps)

2%

Child rang premium rate numbers or other numbers not

included in their monthly allowance

2%

Child's phone used by friends/ school mates

ANY OF THESE

1%

21%

QP74 - In the last twelve months, have you or your child received a bill that is much higher than normal for your child's mobile phone for any of the
following reasons?
(prompted responses, multi coded)
Base: Parents whose child's mobile phone is on a post pay/ monthly contract (243 aged 5-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

138

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental concerns about gaming

A minority of parents whose child plays games are concerned about the content of
the games the child plays
Parents of children aged 3-15 who ever play games through a gaming device were asked
how concerned they were about the content of the games that their child played. Around one
in eight parents (13%) of children aged 5-15 who ever play games are concerned about the
content of the games that the child plays. Parents of 5-7s are less likely to be concerned
(6%) than parents of 8-11s (14%) and parents of 12-15s (16%). A majority of parents of 5-7s
(69%) and 8-11s (55%) say they are not at all concerned, with fewer parents of 12-15s
(45%) saying this. Responses among parents of 3-4s are in line with responses given by
parents of 5-7s, with one in 20 concerned (5%) and three in four (75%) not at all concerned.
Given that boys in each age category are more likely regularly to play games, it is perhaps
not surprising that there are some differences in parental concern by the gender of the child.
Parents of boys aged 8-11 and 12-15 are more likely to be concerned than are parents of
girls of these ages (19% vs. 8% for 8-11s and 21% vs. 10% for 12-15s). There are no
differences by household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 5-7s are now less likely to say they are concerned (6% vs.
12% in 2012).
Figure 106: Parental concerns about gaming content, by age: 2011-2013
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2011

20%

Aged 8-11

2013
2011
2012
2013

55

18

63

17

68

20

20

2011
2012

Aged 12-15

56

25

12

2012

69
8

17

52
56

24

21

19
16

20
20

14

100%

52

20

15

2011

80%

22

13

Not at all concerned

60%

75
6

16

2013

2013

13

19

2012

Aged 5-7

Not very concerned

40%

10
9

55
28
23
31

44
48
45

QP86A Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs games playing? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child ever plays games ( 386 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1546 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1506 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1486aged 5-15 in 2013,
492 aged 5-7 in 2011, 489 aged 5-7 in 2012, 447 aged 5-7 in 2013, 545 aged 8-11 in 2011,524 aged 8-11 in 2012, 535 aged 8-11 in 2013, 509 aged 12-15
in 2011, 493 aged 12-15 in 2012, 504 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

139

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parents of children who ever play games through a gaming device were asked how
concerned they were about who the child may be playing online games with through the
games player 94.
Around one in eight parents of a 5-15 year old child (12%) say they are concerned about
who their child is playing online games with through the games player. Four in five parents
(79%) say they are not concerned by this aspect of their childs game playing.
Parents of 12-15s are as likely as parents of 8-11s to say they are concerned (13% vs.14%),
and more likely than parents of 5-7s (6%).
Among parents of 3-4s, concerns about who their child is playing games with through the
games player are at a comparable level to their concerns about gaming content; three in four
of these parents (76%) are not at all concerned and less than one in 20 (3%) are concerned.
Parents of boys aged 12-15 are more likely to be concerned than parents of girls of this age
(18% vs. 6%). There are no differences by household socio-economic group. There is only
one change since 2012; parents of 8-11s are less likely to say they are not at all concerned
(58% vs 68%).
Figure 107: Parental concerns about who their child is gaming with through the
games player, by age: 2011- 201395
Very/ fairly concerned

Neither/ Don't know

0%

Aged 3-4

2013

Aged 5-15

2011

Aged 5-7

13

14

12

2013

12

2011

10

2012

2011
2012
2013

Aged 12-15

2012

2013

Aged 8-11

20%

2011

14

13

2013

13

21

61
56
70

16

68

18

69

11

16

60

15
8

68
21

58

8
10
12

100%

57

23

17

2012

80%

76

16

14

Not at all concerned

60%

19

12

Not very concerned

40%

46

28
25

52
27

47

QP86C Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs games playing? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children whose child ever plays games -excluding not applicable responses (163 aged 3-4 in 2013, 1010 aged 5-15 in 2011, 978 aged 515 in 2012, 914 aged 5-15 in 2013,281 aged 5-7 in 2011,249 aged 5-7 in 2012, 235 aged 5-7 in 2013, 361 aged 8-11 in 2011, 339 aged 8-11 in 2012, 319
aged 8-11 in 2013, 368 aged 12-15 in 2011, 390 aged 12-15 in 2012, 360 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012
and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

94

The question about with whom their child plays online games, through their gaming device, allowed
a not applicable option, in case their child did not use the gaming device/ games player to game
online. Those parents who answered not applicable have therefore been excluded from the base.
95
It is not possible to show the data for concerns among parents of children aged 3-4, due to the low
base of parents who were able to answer this question once the NA responses had been excluded
(53)

140

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In 2013, parents of children who ever play games through a gaming device were asked how
concerned they were about the cost of in-game purchases (for things like access to
additional points/ tokens/ levels or for game upgrades). One in six parents of children aged
5-15 are concerned overall (16%). However, a majority of parents are not at all concerned
about this aspect of their childs gaming (56%). Parents of 5-7s are more likely to say they
are not at all concerned, compared to parents of 8-11s (66% vs. 56%) and parents of 8-11
are more likely to say this than parents of 12-15s (56% vs. 48%).
As with some of the other mobile phone-related concerns, parental responses among
parents of 3-4s are in line with those given by parents of 5-7s. One in ten parents are
concerned (10%) and two in three (67%) are not at all concerned.
Parents of boys aged 8-11 and 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls in each age group
to say they are concerned (24% vs.15% for 8-11s and 20% vs. 10% for 12-15s). There are
no differences by household socio-economic group.
Figure 108: Parental concerns about the cost of in-game purchases, by age: 2013
The cost of possible
in-game purchases
for things like access
to additional points/
tokens/ levels or for
game upgrades

Very/ fairly concerned

0%

All aged 3-4

All aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Neither/ Don't know

20%

10

40%

13

16

12

10

11

19

15

80%

17

10

Not at all concerned

60%

100%

67

56

13

13

Not very concerned

66

15

56

23

48

QP86D Please tell me the extent to which you are concerned about these aspects of your childs games playing through any means (prompted responses,
single coded)
Base: Parents whose child ever plays games at home on any type of game playing device(386 aged 3-4,1486 aged 5-15, 447 aged 5-7, 535 aged 8-11,504
aged 12-15)
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

141

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Childrens dislikes about different media

A sizeable minority of children dislike seeing inappropriate content across the
media that they use
Parents attitudes and concerns relating to various kinds of media are one side of the coin;
the other is how children and young people feel about, and react to, different types of media
content. This section examines childrens dislikes about different platforms, their opinions
about different types of situation that may occur online or via a mobile phone, and what they
say they would do in such situations.
Children aged 8-15 who use each of the relevant media were prompted with a list of possible
things that they might not like about television, and using the internet, and were asked to
nominate which, if any, applied to them. The aim of these questions was to establish
childrens views in two key areas: accessing content that made them feel sad, frightened or
embarrassed; and accessing content that they felt was too old for them. 96
It is useful to remind ourselves at the outset of the extent to which children feel confident
about their online activity. Nearly nine in ten (87%) of 8-15s (83% for 8-11s and 91% for 1215s) who use the internet at home feel that they know how to stay safe online, and 94% of
12-15s feel confident as an internet user.

Around one in five 8-11s say they dislike seeing things on television that are
too old for them or that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed
For television, the most common dislike among both 8-11s and 12-15s, as in 2012, is that
there are too many adverts. Children aged 12-15 are more likely than 8-11s to dislike this
(63% vs. 49%). Slightly more than one in seven 8-11s (14%) dislike seeing things on
television that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed; this is significantly higher
than for 12-15s (7%). Those aged 8-11 are also more likely than 12-15s to dislike seeing
things that are too old for them (11% vs. 6%).
Two in ten children aged 8-11 (21%) say they have at least one of these key concerns, as do
one in ten (11%) 12-15s. Since 2012, 8-11s and 12-15s are less concerned overall about
these key concerns (21% vs. 29% for 8-11s and 11% vs.18% for 12-15s).
In 2013, girls aged 12-15 are more likely to be concerned about seeing things that make
them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed (10% vs. 4% for boys). There are no differences
by household socio-economic group.

96

The aim of these questions was to establish the extent to which children may have these specific
concerns about the media that they engage with. As this is a sensitive area, the questions were
designed to prevent upset or distress to children by using language that focused on possible dislikes
rather than getting them to focus specifically on actual concerns that they may have.

142

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 109: Childrens dislikes about television, by age: 2011-2013

Too many
adverts

Not enough
programmes I
like

Programmes
on too late

Seeing things
that make me
feel sad,
frightened or
embarrassed

Seeing things
too old for me

Not enough
programmes
showing people
like me
(Added in 2013)

EITHER
Seeing things
that are too old
for me OR things
that make me
feel sad,
frightened or
embarrassed

72
67
58

63

54
49

18

22

31 29

25
18

17

20 22 21

16

18 18

23 22
14

14

1112 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

21

17 16

14 14

11

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

9 7
6

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

19 18
11

11 12 13 1112 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

11 12 13

Aged
12-15

QC4 Which of these things if any, are things you dont like about TV? (prompted responses multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who watch TV at home (577 aged 8-11 in 2011, 572 aged 8-11 in 2012, 583 aged 8-11 in 2013, 558 aged 12-15 in 2011,
569 aged 12-15 in 2012, 564 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Around one in seven 8-11s say they dislike seeing things online that are too
old for them or that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed
Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home were prompted with a list of ten things that
they might not like about using the internet, and were asked to specify which, if any, applied
to them. These are shown in Figure 110 and Figure 111.
Children aged 12-15 are most likely to identify websites that take too long to load as the
issue that they dislike the most (40% for 12-15s). One in five 12-15s dislike people being
nasty, mean or unkind to each other (21%), which is more likely than for 8-11s (12%).
Children aged 12-15 are also more likely than children aged 8-11 to be concerned about bad
things that people have written about them, or photos of them on their profile page (11% vs.
6%). The pressure to appear popular or attractive online is nominated by very few in either
age group (1% for 8-11s vs. 3% for 12-15s).
Around one in 12 children aged 8-11 dislike seeing things that are too old for them (8%), or
things that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed (9%). The 12-15s are less likely
than the 8-11s to have concerns about seeing things that are too old for them (4% vs. 8%)
but are as likely as 8-11s to dislike seeing things that make them feel sad, frightened or
embarrassed (7% vs. 9%). When looking at the proportion of children who have either of
these key concerns, 15% of 8-11s and 10% of 12-15s dislike seeing things online that are
too old for them or things that make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed. This
incidence has decreased since 2012 for both 8-11s (15% vs.23%) and 12-15s (10%
vs.15%).
In 2013, girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys of this age to dislike seeing things that
make them feel sad, frightened or embarrassed (10% vs. 5%) or to dislike seeing things that
are too old for them (7% vs. 1%). They are also more likely to say they feel under pressure

143

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

to appear popular or attractive online (6% vs. 1%). There are no differences for either of the
key concerns in 2013, by household socio-economic group.
Figure 110: Childrens dislikes about the internet, by age: 2011-2013
Websites
that take too
long to load

Too many
adverts

People being nasty,

mean or unkind to
each other

Not enough
websites I like

Websites that are

blocked so I cant look
at them

14

11 12 9

(Amended in 2013)

46

42

43

40

35

33 33 35
20 22

2013

2012

2011

10 10 8

2013

2012

2011

2013

9 9 9
2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

11

2013

21
12

2012

23

2011

36

Aged
8-11

Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
Aged
8-11
8-11
8-11
8-11
12-15
12-15
12-15
12-15
12-15
QC16 Which of these things if any, are things you dont like about the internet?
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home (496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553
aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 111: Childrens dislikes about the internet, by age: 2011-2013

Seeing things
that make me
feel sad,
frightened or
embarrassed

Bad things people

have written
about me or
photos of me on
their profile page/
web page

Seeing
things too
old for me

EITHER

I feel under
pressure to
appear popular or
attractive online

People
pretending to be
me online
(Added in 2012)

Seeing things that

are too old for me
OR things that
make me feel sad,
frightened or
embarrassed

(Added in 2013)

(Amended in
2013)

23 23
16 17

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

15 15

10

10

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2012

2011

2013

2012

Aged
8-11

2013

1
2011

2013

2012

5
2011

5
2013

2011

2012

4
2013

8 9
2012

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

Aged
8-11

15
8

2011

11

7
2013

2012

10 10

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

15 16

Aged
12-15

QC16 Which of these things if any, are things you dont like about the internet?
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home (496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553
aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

144

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Reporting online content that is nasty, worrying or offensive

In 2013, 8-15s are less likely to say they would not tell anyone if they found something
online that was worrying, nasty or offensive
Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home were asked whether they would tell
anyone if they saw something online that they found worrying, nasty or offensive in some
way. If they would tell someone, they were asked to say who that person would be.
As in 2012, 8-11s are more likely than 12-15s to say they would tell someone, accounting for
nearly all 8-11s (96%) and to nine in ten 12-15s (92%) 97. The majority of both age groups
would tell a family member (parent/ sibling or other), with younger children more likely to do
this than older children (90% vs. 78%). Older children would be more likely than younger
children to tell a friend (21% vs. 10%) or the website (5% vs. 1%) while younger children
would be more likely to tell a teacher (27% vs. 20%).
Children aged 12-15 are as likely as 8-11s to be unsure about whether they would tell
someone (both 3%). Around one in ten children aged 12-15 (11%) would therefore not
necessarily tell anyone if they saw something online that they found worrying, nasty or
offensive.
In 2013, there are no differences by gender, within age, nor are there any differences by
household socio-economic group.
Since 2012, both 8-11s and 12-15s are less likely to say they would not tell anyone if they
saw something online that was worrying, nasty or offensive (1% vs. 3% for 8-11s and 4% vs.
8% for 12-15s).

97

Included in this group are the 3% of 8-11s and 3% of 12-15s who said they were unsure who they
would tell.

145

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 112: Reporting online content that is considered by the child to be worrying,
nasty or offensive, by age: 2011-2013
Family
member
(parent/
sibling/ other)
%

Teacher

Friend

The
websites
themselves

Police

Unsure
who I
would tell

Dont
know If I
would tell
someone

Would not
tell someone

9088
86

78
7375

201921

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

4 43 3 3
1

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

2011
2012
2013

44 3 2 33

2011
2012
2013

13 3 1 22

2011
2012
2013

1 21

2011
2012
2013

6 5

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

1 21

2011
2012
2013

9 7 10

2011
2012
2013

181820

2011
2012
2013

29 27
24

Aged
12-15

QC33 If you saw something online that you found worrying, nasty or offensive in some way, would you tell someone about it? IF YES Who would you
tell? (Shows spontaneous responses from > 1% of all internet users aged 8-15) (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home (496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011,
553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

146

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Incidence of negative experiences on the internet or on mobile phones

One in five 12-15s say they have seen something online in the past year that is
worrying, nasty or offensive
Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home, and children aged 8-11
and 12-15 who use the internet at home, were asked whether, in the past year, they/ their
child had seen anything online that is worrying, nasty or offensive. Figure 113 shows the
responses for both parents and children (where applicable), by age.
Parents of 12-15s (16%) and 8-11s (14%) are more likely than parents of 5-7s (4%) or
parents of 3-4s (4%) to think that their child has seen any online content that is worrying,
nasty or offensive. One in ten children aged 8-11 who use the internet at home (9%) say
they have seen something online in the past year that is worrying, nasty or offensive, with
12-15s being twice as likely to say this (20%).
In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age for either the parents estimates or
among the responses given by children aged 8-15. There are no differences by household
socio-economic group, either for the parents estimates, or among the responses given by
children aged 8-15.
Parents of children aged 8-11 are now more likely than in 2012 to say that their child has
seen something worrying, nasty or offensive (14% vs. 8%), with no corresponding change in
the childs estimate. Among 12-15s there has been no change in the parents or childs
estimate of whether content of this nature has been viewed.
Figure 113: Parents estimate, and childs claimed experience, of having seen any
online content in the last year that is considered worrying, nasty or offensive, by age:
2011-2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 12-15

Aged 8-11

Child

Child

Parent

Child

Parent

11 9

Child

18 20
13

Parent

2013

2012

2011

2013

2011

2012

2013

2012

2011

2013

2011

2012

2013

2012

2013

2011

2012

2013

2012

2011

2013

2011

Parent

16 14 16

n/a n/a n/a

n/a n/a n/a

2012

2013

2012

2011

2013

2011

2012

n/a n/a n/a

Parent

4 6 4

4
n/a n/a

14

13

2011

12 10

13

Child

QP59/ QC34 In the last year, do you think your child has seen anything online that is worrying, nasty or of f ensive in some way?/ And in the last year, have
you seen anything online that you f ound worrying, nasty or of f ensive in some way? (Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-15 whose child uses the internet at home/ Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home or anywhere else (219 aged 34 in 2013, 1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013,
496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 554 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565 aged 12-15 in 2013
Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

147

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

A minority of children say they have personal experience of being bullied

through a mobile phone
Children aged 8-11 and 12-15 with a mobile phone were asked whether they knew of
anyone who had been bullied, through someone being nasty or hurtful to them through their
mobile phone, in the past year 98. This question was followed by asking the child whether
they themselves felt they had been bullied by anyone being nasty or hurtful to them through
their mobile phone in the past year 99.
Figure 114 shows that 5% of 8-11s and 7% of 12-15s feel they have experienced bullying
through a mobile phone in the past 12 months.
Girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to say they know of someone who has been
bullied through a mobile phone (33% vs. 20%) and to say they have themselves experienced
bullying in this way (12% vs. 3%). 100
In 2013, there are no differences by household socio-economic group.
There has been no change since 2012 in the incidence of knowing someone who has
experienced bullying, or in experiencing bullying themselves, among children aged 8-11 or
12-15. Figure 114 shows that there has been no change in either of these incidences for
either age group of child since 2011.

98

It was important to ensure that these questions about bullying and the potentially harmful side of
mobile phone and internet use did not distress the child. The questions were placed at the end of the
questionnaire, options for declining to answer were always provided, and the questions used showcards, allowing the child to read out the letter relating to the particular response they wanted to give.
99
Children were provided with the following explanation in advance of asking the question relating to
bullying through a mobile phone: Im now going to ask you just a few questions about some of the
things that can be more difficult about mobile phones. Sometimes, children or teenagers can say or
do things to other children that can be quite nasty or hurtful. This type of behaviour is known as
bullying. Children or teenagers can bully others using their mobile phone, by making nasty calls or
sending nasty or hurtful text messages or video clips.
100
Low base sizes prevent analysis by gender among children aged 8-11.

148

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 114: Experience of bullying through a mobile phone, by age and gender: 2013
% change
vs. 2012

% change
vs. 2011

Happened to someone I know

9%

Happened to me
Aged 8-11

5%
26%
Aged 12-15
7%
20%

Boys aged 1215

3%
33%

Girls aged 12-15

12%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

QC54A-/B In the last year, do you know of anyone who has been bullied by someone being nasty or hurtful to them through their mobile phone?/ In the
last year, do you feel you have been bullied by someone being nasty or hurtful to you through your mobile phone? (Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 with a mobile phone (188 aged 8-11, 467 aged 12-15, 223 boys aged 12-15, 224 girls aged 12-15) - significance testing shows
any change between 2012 and 2013 and between 2011 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Nearly one in ten internet users aged 12-15 say they have personally
experienced bullying online in the past 12 months
Children aged 8-11 and 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were asked similar
questions about whether they knew anyone, or had personally experienced, being bullied
through someone being nasty or hurtful to them online 101 in the past year.
Figure 115 shows that twice as many 12-15s as 8-11s say they have been bullied online in
the past 12 months, accounting for 4% of 8-11s and 8% of 12-15s.
12-15s are also more likely than 8-11s to know of someone who has been bullied online
(23% vs. 8%) and within the 12-15 group, girls are more likely than boys to know someone
who has been bullied online (28% vs. 19%).
As with bullying through a mobile phone, girls aged 12-15 are more likely than boys to have
personal experience of being bullied online (11% vs. 4%).
There are no differences in personal experience of, or knowing someone who has been
bullied online, by household socio-economic group. There has also been no change in either
of these incidences for any age group since 2012, or since 2011.

101

In addition to the definition of bullying that was provided for mobile phones, children were also told
that Sometimes children or teenagers can bully others online, perhaps by sending hurtful messages
or video clips.

149

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 115: Experience of being bullied online, by age and gender: 2013
% change
vs. 2012

Happened to someone I know

Happened to me

% change
vs. 2011

8%

Aged 8-11

4%
23%

Aged 12-15

8%
9%

Boys aged 8-11

5%
8%

Girls aged 8-11

2%
19%

Boys aged 12-15

4%
28%

Girls aged 12-15

11%
0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

QC55A/B In the last year, do you know of anyone who has been bullied by someone being nasty or hurtful to them online?/ In the last year, do you
feel you have been bullied by someone being nasty or hurtful to you online? (Prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (554 aged 8-11, 565 aged 12-15, 269 boys aged 8-11, 285 girls aged 8-11, 275
boys aged 12-15, 290 girls aged 12-15) - significance testing shows any change between 2012 and 2013 and between 2011 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Close to half of 12-15s know someone with experience of negative online/

mobile phone activity
In addition to asking children about their experience of being bullied, children aged 12-15
were asked whether they personally knew anyone who, in the past year, had experienced,
online or through a mobile phone, any of a range of negative experiences. They were also
asked if they had themselves experienced any of these in the past 12 months.
Figure 116 shows that close to half of all children aged 12-15 (45%) say they know of
someone who has experienced any of the negative experiences. One in five 12-15s (19%)
say they have personally experienced at least one of these in the past 12 months. Gossip
being spread is the most likely personal experience among 12-15s, at just over one in ten
(13%). Each of the other experiences we asked about had been experienced by less than
one in 20 children aged 12-15. Three per cent of children aged 12-15 say they have seen
something of a sexual nature, either online or on their mobile phone, rising to 9% saying that
someone they know has seen this 102. In 2013, children were also asked whether they had
seen something online that made them feel scared, like an emailed chain letter. While 8%
know of someone this has happened to, less than one in 20 have direct experience of this
(2%).
In 2013, personal experience does vary by gender. Girls aged 12-15 are more likely to have
experienced gossip being spread about them online or through texts (17% vs. 10%) or to
have seen / received something troubling online like a chain letter, or something that makes
them feels scared (4% vs. 0%). Boys are more likely than girls to say they have experience
of being picked on by other players in online games (6% vs. 1%) or to say that they would
prefer not to give a response (7% vs. 1%). Results do not vary for personal experience, by
household socio-economic group.
102

Given the face-to-face nature of the survey, together with the topic, it is possible that some children
were not comfortable in giving a direct answer to this question.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children aged 12-15 in DE households are however, less likely to say they know of someone
who has seen something of a sexual nature online, or through a mobile phone (4% vs. 9%).
Children aged 12-15 in AB households are more likely to say they know someone who has
seen or received something troubling/scary online like a chain letter (15% vs. 8%).
Since 2012, 12-15s are less likely to know someone who has had gossip spread about them
online or through a text message (35% vs. 43%) or to know of someone who has had their
password used to get at their information (10% vs. 16%). They are also more likely to have
personal experience of being picked on in online games (4% vs. 0%). There are two
differences compared to 2011. They are now more likely to know someone who has seen
something of a sexual nature (9% vs. 5%) and are less likely to have experience of another
person pretending to be them online (2% vs. 6%).
Figure 116: Experience of negative types of online/ mobile phone activity, among
children aged 12-15: 2013
% change % change
vs. 2011
vs. 2012

Happened to someone I know

Happened to me

-8

35%

Gossip being spread about someone online or

though a text message

13%
18%

Embarrassing pictures being posted of someone

online or sent to other people against their wishes

4%
14%

Another person pretending to be them online

2%

-4
-6

10%

Another person using their password to get at

their information

3%

Someone being picked on by other players in

online games

4%

10%

+4
+4

9%

Seeing something of a sexual nature online or

on a mobile phone

3%

Seeing/ receiving something troubling online like a

chain letter or something that makes them feel scared

8%
2%

n/a

n/a

n/a

n/a

5%
1%

Someone being cheated out of money online

n/a

-8

45%

ANY OF THESE

19%
0%

20%

n/a
40%

60%

80%

100%

QC56/ QC57 Please take a look at the list of things shown on this card and think about whether you know anyone who has experienced any of these
things in the last year, either online or on a mobile phone./ Again, please just read out the letters f rom the card if you yourself have experienced any of these
things in the last year. (Prompted responses, multi coded)
Base: All children aged 12-15 (569 aged 12-15) signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Risky and safe online behaviour

One in five internet users aged 12-15 have deleted the history record of the
websites they have visited
Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were asked, from a
prompted list, whether they had undertaken any of the types of potentially risky online
behaviour in the past year.
Figure 117 shows that around one in seven home internet users aged 12-15 (15%) have
done any of these potentially risky things in the past year. One in ten children aged 12-15
(9%) have taken the contact details of someone they have met only online, and around one
in 20 (5%) have sent personal information to a person they have only had contact with
online. There are no differences by gender and only one difference by household socioeconomic group: 12-15s in C2DE households are more likely than those in ABC1
households to have sent a photo or video of themselves to a person that they have only had
contact with online (5% vs. 2%). There has been no change in any of these measures
compared to 2012.
Among children aged 12-15 with an active social networking profile, children with more open
profiles (whose profile is set to be seen by anyone or by friends of friends) are more likely
than children with more private profiles (which can be seen only by their friends) to have:
added people who they have only had contact with online to their friends list (28% vs. 6%);
sent personal information to a person they have only had contact with online (10% vs. 4%);
or sent a photo or video of themselves to a person theyve only had contact with online (9%
vs. 2%).
Figure 117: Experience of potentially risky online behaviour among children aged 1215: 2011-2013
2013
2012
9%
8%
11%

Added people to your friends list or address book or

contacts list that youve only had contact with online

Sent personal information such as your full name,

address or phone number to a person youve only had
contact with online

Pretended to be a different kind of person

online to who you really are

Sent a photo or video of yourself to a person that

youve only had contact with online

ANY OF THESE

2011

5%
6%
5%
3%
2%
2%
4%
2%
1%
15%
13%
14%

QC58 Please take a look at the list of things shown on this card and think about whether you have done any of these things in the last year. If there is
something on the list that you have done in the last year then please just read out the letters from the card. please just read out the letters from the card if
you yourself have experienced any of these things in the last year. (Prompted responses, multi coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (550 aged 12-15 in 2011, 568 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565 aged 12-15 in 2013) significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were prompted with a list of
online behaviours and were asked to say whether they knew how to do any of them, and
whether they had done any of them in the past year.
Figure 118 groups the behaviours we asked about into safe and risky groups.
A majority of 12-15s say they know how to block messages from someone they dont want to
hear from (53%) while less than half know how to block junk email or spam (46%), change
settings on their social networking site profile so fewer people can view the profile (41%), or
block pop-up adverts (40%). One in three 12-15s (32%) have blocked messages from
someone they dont want to hear from, and about one in four have amended their social
networking site profile settings (24%) or blocked pop-up adverts (23%).
Knowledge and experience of each of these safe measures does not differ by gender, and
there are no differences by socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, children are less likely to know how to block messages from someone
they dont want to hear from (53% vs. 68%) and to have done this in the past year (32% vs.
42%).
In 2013, internet users aged 12-15 are less likely to know how to delete their browsing
history (42% in 2013 vs. 54% in 2012) and to have done this in the past year (19% vs. 26%).
Around one in five (18%) know how to disable online filters or controls, but considerably less
(6%) have done this in the past year. This is also the case for amending settings to use a
web browser in privacy mode (a question that was added in 2013); three in ten (29%) know
how to do this and one in eight have done it (12%). There are no differences by gender and
only one difference by household socio-economic group. Children aged 12-15 in DE
households are more likely to know how to unset filters (26% vs. 18%). They are, however,
no more likely to have done this in the last year (10% DE vs. 6% overall.)
Figure 118: Experience of safe and risky online measures among children aged 1215: 2013
Block
messages from
someone you
dont want to
hear from

Block junk
email or spam

Block pop-up
Change the
adverts
settings so fewer
people can view
your social
networking profile

Amend the
Delete the
history records settings to use
a web browser
of which
in privacy mode
websites you
have visited
(NEW IN 2013)

(AMENDED IN 2013)

Unset any
filters or
controls to stop
certain
websites being
visited

% change
since 2012 -15
-12

53

-10

46
41

42

40

-7

32

29

27

24

23

19

18
12
6

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

Know
how

Have
done

QC59A/B Please take a look at the list of things shown on this card and think about whether you know how to do any of these things online. Please read out
the letters on the card if you know how to do this./ And are there any things on this list that you personally have done online in the last year? Please read out
the letters on the card if you have done this in the last year. (Prompted responses, multi coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (565 aged 12-15) Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Section 7

Parents rules and controls

This section examines the types of rules and restrictions that parents put in place for their
children across various media. It looks at the types of technical controls and filters that are
in place, and the levels of guidance provided by parents in helping their child stay safe
online.
Key findings

Most parents of 5-15s continue to have rules in place for their childs use of television
(83%), internet (79%), mobile phones (72%) and gaming (74%). Rules about television
use are as likely for 3-4s as for 5-7s, while 5-7s are more likely than 3-4s to have rules in
place about internet use (92% vs. 84%). Compared to 2012, there has been no change
in the incidence of parental rules for users of any of the five media at an overall level
(among all 5-15s) or within each age group of child (5-7s, 8-11s and 12-15s).

Households with a television and children aged 5-15 are now less likely than in 2012 to
have access controls set through a PIN or password (45% vs. 50%). Findings among
parents of 3-4s show that four in ten (38%) have these controls.

When prompted with a list of possible parental controls that can be used on a PC, laptop
or netbook, 43% of parents of 5-15s say they have such controls in place, which is
unchanged since 2012. Forty per cent of parents of 3-4s have such controls in place.

Among parents whose child has a mobile phone that can be used to go online, four in
ten parents of 12-15s (40%) and close to half of parents of 8-11s (47%) have applied
filters to exclude websites aimed at over-18s.

Parental controls are less likely to be in place for handheld games players (16%) or
games consoles connected to a television (19%) than for other media. Around one in five
parents of 3-4s have controls on these devices (20% for handheld games players and
19% for games consoles). While for children overall (those aged 5-15) both of these
types of controls are unchanged, since 2012 parents of 8-11s are more likely to have
controls on games consoles connected to a television (26% vs. 16%).

Parents of 5-15s use a combination of approaches to mediate their childs internet use,
including: regularly talking to their children about staying safe online, and having
technical controls and rules about parental supervision. Eighty-five per cent of parents of
5-15s whose child ever goes online at home through a PC/ laptop or netbook use at least
one of these approaches, (20% use all three, 35% use two, 30% use only one). Fifteen
per cent do none of the things asked about. These incidences are all unchanged since
2012. Less than one in ten parents of 3-4s (8%) use all three approaches, while close to
one in five (18%) do none of them.

Sixty-two per cent of parents of 5-15s whose child goes online at home on a PC/ laptop
or netbook say they have at least one of these: safe search settings on search engine
websites, parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook used by the child,
YouTube safety mode enabled, software to limit the time spent online, or PIN/ passwords
set on broadcasters websites. There has been no change in these levels since 2012,
and more than half of parents of 3-4s (56%) have at least one of the measures in place.

A majority of parents of 5-15s with parental controls installed on the device their child
uses agree strongly that these controls are effective and that their child is safer as a

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

result. Agreement at this level tends to be highest for television and lowest for mobile
phones.

Seventy-nine per cent of parents of 5-15s who use the internet at home have spoken to
their child about staying safe online; this has not changed since 2012. Forty-five per cent
of parents talk to their child about this at least once a month, also unchanged since
2012.

Forty-eight per cent of parents of 5-15s and 69% of parents of 3-4s agree strongly that
they know enough to help their children stay safe online and 53% have looked for or
received information or advice about how to do this.

Parents rules about media

The majority of parents have rules in place for their child's use of television,
internet, mobile phones and gaming
Parents of children aged 3-15 were prompted with a list of rules and restrictions relating to
each of the key media platforms (television, radio, internet, games consoles/ players, and
mobile phone) that their child used, and were asked to say which rules they had in place for
their child. Detail on the particular types of rules in place for each of the key media platforms
is shown later in this section. Figure 119 shows the extent to which cross-media rules are in
place for children who use each medium at home.
The majority of parents of 5-15s have rules in place concerning access to, and use of, each
of the platforms apart from radio. For television, the internet and gaming, younger children
(aged 3-4, 5-7 and 8-11) are more likely than older children (12-15) to have rules in place.
Rules about radio and mobile phones are as likely for 8-11s as for 12-15s. Rules about
television are as likely for 3-4s as for 5-7s, while 5-7s are more likely to have rules in place
about internet use (92% vs. 84%).
In 2013, there are some differences by household socio-economic group: rules about
internet use are more likely in AB households compared to all households with children aged
5-15 who go online at home (85% vs. 79%), and are less likely in DE households (73%
vs.79%). Rules about gaming are also more likely in AB households (81% vs. 74%).
There are no differences by gender within age for any platforms.
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of parental rules for users of
any of the five media at an overall level (among all 5-15s) or within each age group of child
(5-7s, 8-11s, 12-15s).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 119: Parental rules about use of media, by age: 2013

Television
% point
change
since 2012

Internet
NA

NA

Gaming

92

89

NA

92

90

88

86

84

83

Mobile phone
NA

NA

86
81

79
74
69

Radio

73

72

71

65
58

37
25

29

28
20

Low
Base

Low
Base

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged
3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15
QP12/ QP24/ QP29/ QP67/ QP77 Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the (MEDIA) that your child watches/ listens to/ uses?
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 who use each medium at home (VARIABLE BASE) significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and
2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Summary of parental controls

Parents are less likely to have parental controls installed on games consoles
than on other media
In addition to asking about parental rules regarding the use of media within the home,
parents of children aged 5-15 were also asked about the parental controls they had installed
on the media their child uses.
Parents of children aged 5-15 were asked whether parental controls are set on their
television service to stop certain programmes, films or channels being viewed on the
television until a PIN or password is entered.
Parents whose child uses either a PC/ laptop or netbook to go online at home were
prompted with four specific types of online parental controls and asked whether these were
installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that their child uses: parental controls in place that were
provided by their internet service provider (ISP) 103; parental controls provided by the
computers operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac etc.); parental controls that someone in
the household had installed or downloaded onto the computer, either free or paid for (e.g.
Net Nanny, Open DNS, Family Shield); parental controls installed but unsure of the specific
type of controls.
Parents whose child uses a portable/ handheld games console were asked whether they
had parental controls installed on the console, as were those parents whose child plays
games on a games console connected to a television.
Parents whose child has a smartphone or a non-smartphone that can be used to go online
were asked whether access to the internet on their childs phone is limited to exclude
websites that are aimed at people aged 18 or over 104.
More details about each of these types of individual controls, on a per-platform basis,
(including any changes over time), can be found later in this section of the report. Figure 120
below shows the extent to which controls are in place across media in 2013.
Less than half of parents of 5-15s (45%) say they have parental controls installed on their
television service. This is more likely for 5-7s (47%) and 8-11s (48%) than for 3-4s (38%).
Forty-three per cent have any of the four specific types of online controls installed on their
computer at home, with this being more likely for 5-7s (45%) and 8-11s (51%) than for 1215s (35%). Parents of 3-4s are as likely as parents of 5-7s to have controls in place (40% vs.
45%).
Four in ten children aged 5-15 whose phone can be used to go online (42%) have mobile
phone filters in place.
Controls are much less likely to be in place on handheld/ portable games consoles (16%), or
on fixed consoles (19%). Children aged 8-11 are more likely than 5-7s (15%) or 12-15s
(14%) to have controls in place on a fixed games console (at 26%). There are no differences
by age in the incidence of controls for handheld/ portable games consoles. Parents of 3-4s
are as likely as parents of 5-7s to have controls in place on each type of gaming device.

103

ISP-provided controls could include any of the following: network level filtering e.g. Homesafe
from TalkTalk or software - like McAfee Family Protection - provided by ISPs for people to install on
their computers.
104
It is not possible to show the data among children aged 3-4 and 5-7 due to low base sizes.

157

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 120: Summary of parental controls in place, by platform: 2013

Parental controls
set on television
service

Parental controls
installed on PC/
laptop/ netbook
that the child
uses at home

Parental controls
set on portable/
handheld games
console

Parental controls
set on fixed
games console

Mobile phone
filters set up
(where phone can
be used to go
online)

45
38

47

51

48
40

40

43

47

45

42

40

35
26
20

16

20
13

19
13

19
15

14
Low
Base

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged
3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

Low
Base

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged
3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

QP13/ QP30/ QP80/ QP81/ QP70 - Does your television service have any parental controls set to stop certain programmes, films or channels being viewed on
your TV, until a PIN or password is entered/ Do you have any of these types of parental controls loaded or put into place and working on the PC/
laptop/netbook that your child uses at home to prevent them viewing certain types of website/ Are there any parental controls set on the handheld games
console?/ Are there any parental controls set on the games console that is connected to a TV?/ Is access to the internet on your childs phone limited to
exclude websites that are aimed at people aged 18 and over?
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 who watch TV at home/ Parents whose child aged 5-15 uses a PC/ laptop or netbook to go online at home/ Parents of
children aged 5-15 with a portable games console/ Parents of children aged 5-15 with a fixed games console/ Parents of 5-15s with a mobile phone that can be
used to go online
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Rules about television viewing

Rules about television viewing have remained consistent since 2012
As in previous years, household rules for television viewing are more likely to be in place for
5-7s (92%) and 8-11s (90%) than for 12-15s (69%). This is also true for nine of the ten
individual rules that parents were prompted with, the exception being the rule relating to PIN/
password controls to watch certain channels/ films.
There is only one rule in place relating to television viewing for the majority of 3-4s, 5-7s and
8-11s, which relates to no TV after a certain time (51% for 3-4s, 64% for 5-7s and 60% for 811s). There is no single rule in place across the majority of 12-15s.
There are no differences by gender within age for the overall incidence of rules or for any
specific rule about television.
While there are no differences in the overall incidence of rules for television by household
socio-economic group, there are differences relating to specific rules. Parents of children in
AB households are more likely than all parents to have six of the rules in place: no TV after a
certain time (62% vs. 55%), no programmes with nudity/ sexual content (50% vs. 40%),
regularly check on what they are watching (50% vs. 40%), only videos/ DVDs with an
appropriate age rating (45% vs. 38%), no programmes with swearing/ offensive language
(46% vs. 38%) and no programmes with violence (45% vs. 36%). In contrast, parents in DE
households are less likely to have three rules in place: no TV after a certain time (48% vs.
55%), regularly check on what they are watching (34% vs. 40%) and needing a PIN/
password to watch certain channels/ certain movie ratings (17% vs. 22%).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Although the overall incidence of rules about television have not changed since 2012 for
any age group, 5-15s overall are more likely to have the rule about only DVDs/ videos with
an appropriate age rating (38% vs. 34%) which is driven by an increase among 12-15s (28%
vs. 22%).
Figure 121: Parental rules for television, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Any rules or restrictions

89%

83%

92%

90%

69%

No TV after a certain time

51%

55%

64%

60%

42%

No programmes with nudity/ sexual content

38%

40%

47%

46%

29%

Regularly check on what they are watching

38%

40%

48%

44%

29%

Only DVDs/ videos with an appropriate age

rating

42%

38%

48%

40%

28%

No programmes with swearing/ bad language

39%

38%

49%

44%

23%

No programmes with violence

39%

36%

47%

44%

20%

Only childrens TV programmes/ childrens

channels

59%

25%

46%

28%

7%

Need a PIN/ password to watch certain

channels/ certain movie ratings

18%

22%

23%

26%

19%

Only DVD/ video that an adult or parent has

watched first

10%

10%

14%

13%

5%

Can only watch when supervised/ not on their

own

21%

9%

15%

8%

4%

QP12 Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the TV, videos and DVDs that your child watches? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child watches TV at home ( 678 aged 3-4, 1671 aged 5-15, 524 aged 5-7, 583 aged 8-11, 564 aged 12-15).
Significance testing indicates any differences between 2012 and 2013 for children aged 5-15.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Technical controls on television

Parents are now less likely to have set access controls on their television
service
As well as having rules relating to their childs use of different media, parents may also
employ more technical measures to control their childs access and use. As noted earlier,
almost all 5-15s (98%) live in a household with a television that is watched by the child.
Parents of children in these households were asked whether they had any controls on their
service which restricted access to particular channels or types of programmes until a PIN
number or password had been entered.
Less than half of households have set these controls (45%), with parents of 8-11s more
likely than parents of 12-15s (40%) to have them in place (48%). Parents of both 5-7s (47%)
and 8-11s (48%) are more likely to have controls in place than are parents of 3-4s (38%).
Since 2012 there has been a decrease in the incidence of setting access controls for
multichannel television services among households with children aged 5-15 (45% vs. 50%).
This decrease is driven by households with children aged 8-11 (48% vs. 55%) and those
with children aged 12-15 (40% vs. 48%).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Access controls are more likely to be set in households with a satellite (52%) or cable
television service (57%), compared to households with Freeview (33%) 105. Since 2012, there
has been a decrease in the incidence of using access controls for satellite services (52% vs.
60%).
As in 2012, children aged 5-15 in DE households are less likely to have these in place (37%
vs. 45%), compared to all parents of 5-15s. This is partly attributable to the fact that DE
households are more likely to have Freeview television services (51% vs. 38%).
There are also differences by gender within age. In 2013, parents of boys aged 12-15 are
more likely than parents of girls to have controls in place (46% vs. 34%).
Figure 122: PIN or password controls set on television services, by age: 2007, 2009,
2011-2013

Controls set on television service/ set

%

50
44

55
45

43

38
28

2013

Aged 3-4

32

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

All aged 5-15

26

46

47

30

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

Aged 5-7

47
31

48

48
42

35
26

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

Aged 8-11

40

31

2007 2009 2011 2012 2013

Aged 12-15

QP13 - Does your television service have any parental controls set, to stop certain programmes, films or channels being viewed on your TV, until a PIN or
password is entered?/ WORDING IN 2007-2009 - Have you or has anyone in your household set any controls on your TV service so that particular channels can
only be watched by using a PIN number or password? (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 with a TV set that the child watches (673 aged 3-4 1659 aged 5-15, 520 aged 5-7, 581 aged 8-11, 558 aged 12-15) PRIOR
TO 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 with multi-channel TV in the household and whose child watches TV at home (3219 aged 5-15 in 2007, 1936 aged 5-15
in 2009, 1635 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1663 aged 5-15 in 2012, 825 aged 5-7 in 2007, 517 aged 5-7 in 2009, 540 aged 5-7 in 2011, 553 aged 5-7 in 2012, 513 aged
8-11 in 2005, 1173 aged 8-11 in 2007, 702 aged 8-11 in 2009, 559 aged 8-11 in 2011, 554 aged 8-11 in 2012, 521 aged 12-15 in 2005, 1221 aged 12-15 in
2007, 717 aged 12-15 in 2009, 536 aged 12-15 in 2011, 556 aged 12-15 in 2012) significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents who said they had controls in place on their television service were prompted with
four types of control and were asked to select which specific controls they had in place at
home. Figure 123 and Figure 124 shows their responses 106.
The incidence of each type of control does not tend to vary among parents of 5-15s. Parents
of 3-4s, however, are less likely than parents of 5-7s to have blocked specific channels from
being viewed at any time of day (25% vs. 35%) or to have blocked them from being viewed
after a specific time/ after 8pm (12% vs. 22%).
There are no differences in 2013, by gender within age or by household socio-economic
group, for any of the controls shown in Figure 123. Compared to 2012, parents of 5-15s are
now more likely to have removed adult channels from the Electronic Programme Guide

105

This could be because parental control functionality is not universal for set-top boxes or digital
televisions that offer Freeview television services.
106
The access control require a PIN to view a recording originally broadcast after 9pm was only
asked of those with television controls and a DVR.

160

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

(EPG) (36% vs. 30%), but this increase is not attributable to any particular age group of
child.
Parents with a DVR with television controls enabled were asked about a further access
control that can be used with a DVR: ensuring that a PIN is required to view a recording that
was originally broadcast after 9pm. Six in ten parents of children aged 5-15 have this control
(62%) as do two in three parents of 3-4s (66%). There are no variations in this incidence by
the age of the child. This particular control is also more likely in AB households (73%
vs.62%) compared to all households with children aged 5-15. There are no differences by
gender within age. Since 2012 this control is less likely in households with children aged 515 (62% vs. 68%) driven by a decrease among parents of 5-7s (58% in 2013 vs. 73% in
2012).
Parents with access controls in place were also asked whether their child knows the PIN or
password necessary to override the television access controls. The responses are shown in
Figure 124. Knowledge about how to override these access controls increases with the age
of the child, accounting for less than one in 20 5-7s (3%), one in ten 8-11s (10%) and one in
four 12-15s (26%). Only 1% of 3-4s know how to override these controls. There are no
differences by gender within age or by household socio-economic group.
Knowledge of overriding controls has not changed for 5-7s, 8-11s or 12-15s since 2012.
Figure 123: Types of access controls in place among parents with controls set on
their television service, by age: 2011 2013
Adult channels
removed from the
EPG

Specific channels blocked

from being viewed at any time
of the day

Block films depending

on their age rating

31

13

Aged
3-4

34

36
30

36

36
27

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

38
3231

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

36
33
30

11 12 13

Aged
12-15

25

13

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
3-4

31

35

31
26

30

27

312929

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

27
23

30

29

31

30

22

2325

11 12 13 13

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
12-15

Aged
3-4

23

30

2526

26
2022

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP15/QP16 Do you use these parental controls in any of these ways? (prompted response, multi-coded) / Does the child know the PIN or password to
override these controls? (spontaneous response, single coded)
Base: IN 2013 - Parents of children aged 5-15 with a TV set that the child watches, with any parental controls set (249 aged 3-4 744 aged 5-15, 246 aged 57, 271 aged 8-11, 227 aged 12-15)/ PRIOR TO 2013 Parents of children aged 5-15 with multichannel TV in the household and parental controls set (722
aged 5-15 in 2011, 818 aged 5-15 in 2012, 238 aged 5-7 in 2011, 260 aged 5-7 in 2012, 261 aged 8-11 in 2011, 294 aged 8-11 in 2012, 223 aged 12-15 in
2011, 264 aged 12-15 in 2012) -significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 124: Types of access controls in place among parents with controls set on
their television service, by age: 2011 - 2013
Blocked specific channels
from being viewed after a
specific time/ after 8pm

Require a PIN to view a

recording originally
broadcast after 9pm***

Child knows how to

override any parental
controls set

73
66

24
18
12

1517

18

22

68
63 62

646566

63
58

67
61 60

262426
1818
15

17

14 13
11

17

1313
6

1
13

Aged
3-4

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13

Aged
12-15

13

Aged
3-4

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
3-4

1110
3 3

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13

Aged
12-15

QP15/QP16 Do you use these parental controls in any of these ways? (prompted response, multi-coded) / Does the child know the PIN or password to
override these controls? (spontaneous response, single coded)
Base: IN 2013 - Parents of children aged 5-15 with a TV set that the child watches, with any parental controls set (249 aged 3-4 744 aged 5-15, 246 aged 5-7,
271 aged 8-11, 227 aged 12-15)/ PRIOR TO 2013 Parents of children aged 5-15 with multichannel TV in the household and parental controls set (722 aged
5-15 in 2011, 818 aged 5-15 in 2013, 238 aged 5-7 in 2011, 260 aged 5-7 in 2012, 261 aged 8-11 in 2011, 294 aged 8-11 in 2012, 223 aged 12-15 in 2011,
264 aged 12-15 in 2012) / *** Base represents all children aged 5-15 with multichannel TV in the household and a DVR, with parental controls set (594 aged
5-15 in 2011, 716 aged 5-15 in 2012, 218 aged 3-4 in 2013, 630 aged 5-15 in 2013, 197 aged 5-7 in 2011, 233 aged 5-7 in 2012, 207 aged 5-7 in 2013, 212
aged 8-11 in 2011, 252 aged 8-11 in 2012, 224 aged 8-11 in 2013, 185 aged 12-15 in 2011, 231 aged 12-15 in 2012, 199 aged 12-15 in 2013) -significance
testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Among those without access controls set, one in seven parents are unaware
of them or do not know how to set them
Those parents who do not have any access controls set up for their multichannel television
service were asked to say why.
Figure 125 looks at the reasons for not having controls in place for multichannel television,
given by all parents of children aged 5-15 107, while Figure 126 and Figure 127 look at this
among parents of 3-4s 5-7s, 8-11s and 12-15s.
The reasons given by parents tend to differ depending on the age of the child. Parents of
older children (12-15s) are more likely to say that they trust their child to be sensible/
responsible, or that their child is too old to require these controls, whereas parents of
younger children (3-4s, 5-7s and 8-11s) are more likely to say it is because their child is
supervised, or that the child is too young for a lack of controls to be a problem.
Some parents responded that they did not know how to set access controls, or did not know
that these settings were possible. Being unaware of access controls in either of these ways
accounts for 15% of all parents of children aged 5-15 who do not have these settings in
place, and is more common among parents of 5-7s than parents of 12-15s (20% vs. 12%).
One in ten parents of 3-4s are also unaware of access controls (11%). Unlike in previous
surveys, those in households with a Freeview service are no more likely to be unaware of
access controls in either of these ways (18% vs. 15%). Parents of children aged 5-15 in DE
107

Responses shown reflect those given by 5% or more of all parents of 5-15 without controls set on
their television service.

162

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

households without controls set are more likely to say it is because they are unaware how to
do this (21% vs. 15%).
Since 2012, there has been no change in any of these reasons among parents of children
aged 5-15 without controls set on their television service, at an overall level. Parents of 5-7s
are, however, more likely to say they are unaware of access controls, either because they
did not know they were possible or didnt know how to set them (20% vs. 12%)
Figure 125: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, among
parents of 5-15s: 2011-2013
Trust child to
be sensible/
responsible

Child is
supervised

Child too young

for this to be a
problem

Did not
know was
possible

Child too old for

controls

Dont know
how to do
this

38 37

Not
possible to
set controls
on my TV
service

UNAWARE HOW
(Did not know
was possible/
Dont know how
to do this)

37
30 32 32
16 16

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

13

2011 2012 2013

17
12

2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

14

15

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

QP14 Can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi coded) only responses shown where>5% of all parents have given that answer
Base: IN 2013 - Parents of children with a TV set in the household that the child watches with no parental controls set / Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged
5-15 who have multi-channel TV in the household and no controls set (869 aged 5-15 in 2011, 802 aged 5-15 in 2012, 845 aged 5-15 in 2013) -significance
testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

163

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 126: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, by age:
2011-2013
Trust child to be
sensible/ responsible

Child too young

for this to be a
problem

Child is
supervised

Did not know

was possible

66

6361
54
45 474645
37
3031

43
39
36

4140
35

1517
12

131112

1311
10

4
13

11 9

14

17
13
8

8 6 7

0 0 0
11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 13

Aged
12-15

11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 13

Aged
12-15

11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

11 12 13 13

Aged
12-15

11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP14 Can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi coded) only responses shown where >5% of all parents have given that answer
Base: IN 2013 - Parents of children with a TV set in the household that the child watches with no parental controls set (401 aged 3-4 in 2013, 247 aged 5-7 in
2013, 289 aged 8-11 in 2013, 309 aged 12-15 in 2013) / Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 who have multi-channel TV in the household and no
controls set (291 aged 5-7 in 2011, 276 aged 5-7 in 2012, 281 aged 8-11 in 2011, 246 aged 8-11 in 2012, 297 aged 12-15 in 2011, 280 aged 12-15 in 2012) significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 127: Reasons for not having controls in place for the television service, by age:
2011-2013
Child too old for controls

Dont know how to do

this

Not possible to set

controls on my TV
service

UNAWARE HOW
(Did not know was
possible/ Dont know how
to do this)

20

19 19
16
0

1 2 1

2 0 1

13

11 12 13

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

5 3 6

13

11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

8 7 8

5 7 6

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

11
5

6 5
3

5 4 6

13

11 12 13

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

2 3

15

12

22
19
15

131312

6
13

11 12 13

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP14 Can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi coded) only responses shown where >5% of all parents have given that answer
Base: IN 2013 - Parents of children with a TV set in the household that the child watches with no parental controls set (401 aged 3-4 in 2013, 247 aged 5-7 in
2013, 289 aged 8-11 in 2013, 309 aged 12-15 in 2013) / Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 who have multi-channel TV in the household and no
controls set (291 aged 5-7 in 2011, 276 aged 5-7 in 2012, 281 aged 8-11 in 2011, 246 aged 8-11 in 2012, 297 aged 12-15 in 2011, 280 aged 12-15 in 2012) significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Experience of parents with controls installed on their television service

Most parents agree strongly that the parental controls on their television service are
effective and that their child is safer as a result
In 2013, parents of 3-15s with parental controls set on their television service were asked
two of the same questions that had been asked of parents of internet users with controls on
the PC/laptop/ netbook. This was to establish the extent to which parents felt that these
television controls were effective (shown in Figure 128) and that their child was safer as a
result of them (shown in Figure 129).
A majority of parents, overall and in each age group, agree strongly with: I am confident that
the parental controls that we have are effective. Parents of 3-4s (87%), 5-7s (82%) and 811s (77%) are, however, more likely to strongly agree, compared to parents of 12-15s
(67%). While a minority of parents of 5-15s disagree overall (6%) this is more likely among
parents of 8-11s (8%) or 12-15s (7%) than among parents of 3-4s (1%) or 5-7s (2%).
There are no differences by gender within age or by household socio-economic group.
Figure 128: Parental agreement about controls on television service - I am confident
that the controls that we have are effective by age and socio-economic group: 2013
Strongly agree
0%

Slightly agree

Neither/ DK

20%

40%

Aged 3-4

60%

Strongly disagree
80%

100%

87

8
13

75

Aged 5-15

82

Aged 5-7

67

4
6

11

77

Aged 8-11
Aged 12-15

Slightly disagree

10
18

23
5 2

5 2 5
9

4 3

AB

74

14

C1

75

12

23

C2

75

DE

76

16
10

7
5

QP17A Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place (prompted
responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls set on the television service(249 aged 3-4, 744 aged 5-15 , 246 aged 5-7, 271 aged 8-11, 227 aged 12-15),
158 AB, 224 C1, 165 C2, 197 DE) - Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence by socio-economic group compared to all children aged 5-15
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

A majority of parents, overall and in each age group, also agree strongly that I feel that my
child is safer as a result. Parents of 3-4s (82%), 5-7s (82%) and 8-11s (74%) are more likely
to agree strongly, compared to parents of 12-15s (64%). A minority of parents of 5-15s
disagree overall (5%), and parents of 3-4s (1%) are less likely to disagree than are parents
of 8-11s (6%) or 12-15s (7%).

165

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

There are no differences by gender within age or by household socio-economic group.

Figure 129: Parental agreement about controls on television service I feel that my
child is safer as a result, by age and socio-economic group: 2013
Strongly agree
0%

Slightly agree

Neither/ DK

20%

40%

15

64

73

C2

76

DE

75

7
10

18
15

2 4
7

14

4 3

11

23
5

14
19

68

7
11

74

Aged 8-11

100%

11

82

Aged 5-7

C1

Strongly disagree
80%

73

Aged 5-15

AB

60%

82

Aged 3-4

Aged 12-15

Slightly disagree

23
7 12

QP17B Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place (prompted
responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls set on the television service(249 aged 3-4, 744 aged 5-15 , 246 aged 5-7, 271 aged 8-11, 227 aged 12-15),
158 AB, 224 C1, 165 C2, 197 DE) - Significance testing shows any difference by socio-economic group compared to all children aged 5-15
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

166

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental rules for mobile phones

The majority of parents of 8-11s and 12-15s have rules in place about their
childs mobile phone use
Most parents whose child has their own mobile phone have put in place at least one of the
rules that we asked about.
As in 2012, many of the rules and restrictions for mobile phone use relate to the cost
associated with using the phone rather than the possibility of encountering inappropriate or
potentially harmful content.
As in 2012, rules about mobile phone use are as likely for 12-15s as they are for 8-11s (71%
vs. 73%). There are, however, four rules that are more likely among parents of 8-11s whose
child has their own mobile phone, compared to parents of 12-15s: regularly check what they
are doing with the phone (27% vs. 14%); only calls/ texts to an agreed list of people (25% vs.
7%); use only to make/ receive voice calls or send texts, and nothing else (19% vs. 8%); and
no going online/ internet sites/ WAP browsing (13% vs. 8%). There is only one rule that is
more likely among parents of 12-15s compared to 8-11s: that the child is responsible for
paying for top-ups/ bills (16% vs. 8%).
In 2013, there are no differences by gender among 12-15s with a mobile phone 108, and no
differences by household socio-economic group.
The overall incidence of having rules, and the incidence of each of the individual rules, has
not changed since 2012.
While the overall incidence of rules is no different among parents of 12-15s with a
smartphone than among parents of children with a non-smartphone (70% and 72%
respectively), those aged 12-15 with a non-smartphone are more likely to have the rule
about limiting how often credit can be put on the phone (44% vs. 30%) and only making/
receiving calls or texts and nothing else (19% vs. 4%). Parents of 12-15s with a smartphone
are more likely than those with a non-smartphone to have the rule regarding regularly
checking what they are doing with the phone (18% vs. 4%) and about only visiting certain
websites on the phone (6% vs. 0%).

108

Low base sizes prevent analysis by gender among 8-11s

167

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 130: Parental rules for mobile phones, by age: 2013

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Any rules or restrictions

73%

71%

Limit how often credit can be put on the phone

38%

34%

No calls to premium rate numbers

24%

27%

No texts to premium rate numbers

23%

26%

Regularly check what they are doing with the phone

27%

14%

Child is responsible for paying top-ups/ bills

8%

16%

Only calls/ texts to an agreed list of people

25%

7%

Only to make/ receive voice calls or send texts, nothing else

19%

8%

No going online/ internet sites/ no WAP browsing

13%

8%

No downloading of apps/ applications onto the phone

12%

8%

Can only visit certain websites on the phone

6%

5%

QP67 Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the use that your child makes of his/ her mobile phone ? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child has their own mobile phone (188 aged 8-11, 467 aged 12-15). Significance testing indicates any
differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parental controls for mobile phones

Four in ten parents of a 12-15 year old with a mobile phone that can be used to
go online have limited their childs access to the internet
In 2013, parents whose children have a smartphone or a non-smartphone that can be used
to go online 109were asked whether access to the internet on their childs phone is limited to
exclude websites aimed at people aged 18 and over 110.
In 2013, close to half of parents of 8-11s (47%) and four in ten parents of 12-15s (40%) with
a mobile phone that can be used to go online say that their childs phone is limited to
exclude these websites.
There is no difference between 8-11s and 12-15s as to whether these controls were
activated when the phone was purchased, or later, by someone in the household (23% vs.
24% respectively for 8-11s and 19% vs. 21% for 12-15s).

109

In previous years this question was asked of all parents who said their childs phone could be used
to go online (irrespective of whether this phone was a smartphone or not). Some parents whose child
had a smartphone said their childs phone could not be used to go online, which is therefore incorrect.
In 2013 all parents whose child had a smartphone were automatically asked this question (together
with those parents whose child owns a non smartphone that can be used to go online). Due to these
differences in the way this question was asked, we have not commented on any changes over time
but have shown time series analysis in Figure 131.
110
The question wording was amended in 2011 (to reflect the overall incidence of the childs mobile
phone being limited to exclude websites aimed at people aged 18 and over, as distinct from whether a
parent or other responsible adult had set this up) and so we cannot show comparable findings from
previous years.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Responses do not vary between those aged 12-15 with a smartphone and those with a nonsmartphone (40% vs. 33%).
In 2013, boys aged 12-15 with a mobile phone that could be used to go online are more
likely to have these filters in place, compared to girls (48% vs. 32%). There are no
differences by household socio-economic group.
Figure 131: Use of filters for mobile phone content among parents of 12-15s: 20112013
%

47
40

40

2013

Aged 8-11 with a

mobile phone that
can be used to go
online**

31

31

2011

2012

2013

Aged 12-15 with a mobile phone that

can be used to go online**

33

32

2011

2012

2013

Aged 12-15 with a smartphone**

QP70 Is access to the internet on your childs phone limited to exclude websites that are aimed at people aged 18 and over? (prompted
responses, single coded)
Base: Children aged 12-15 with a smartphone or another type of mobile phone that can be used to go online (111 aged 8-11 in 2013, 378 aged 1215 in 2013, 356 aged 12-15 with a smartphone in 2013)/Children aged 12-15 with a mobile phone that can be used to go online (248 aged 12-15
with any mobile in 2011, 334 aged 12-15 with any mobile in 2012, 177 with a smartphone in 2011, 304 with a smartphone in 2012) **NB In 20112012 all parents were asked whether their childs mobile phone could be used to go online irrespective of whether they owned a smartphone or
another type of mobile phone, and all stating the phone could were asked this question. In 2013 this initial question was only asked of those
without a smartphone and then those that said the phone could go online and those with a smartphone were asked this question. Due to this
different approach any significant differences have not been flagged
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Those parents responding that their childs phone does not have filters for mobile phone
content were asked to say why. Across all parents of 12-15s, the main reason given is that
they trust their child to be responsible (55%). However, a significant minority respond that
they are not aware that this is possible (31%) or dont know how to do it (7%). One in 20
parents of a 12-15 year old say it is because their child learns how to use their phone safely
at school (6%) or that their child is too old for setting controls (5%).

169

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Rules about playing games

Rules about game playing have remained consistent since 2012
As in 2012, most parents whose child plays games on a gaming device 111 say that they have
rules or restrictions about the games their child plays. Rules are more likely to be in place for
children aged 5-7 (86%) and 8-11 (81%), than for those aged 12-15 (58%). Close to nine in
ten parents of 3-4s whose child plays games on a gaming device also have rules in place
(88%).
Each individual rule is also less likely to be in place for 12-15s than for 3-4s, 5-7s or 8-11s.
More than half of parents of 3-4s, 5-7s and 8-11s have rules restricting the games played to
those with an appropriate age rating (56% 62% and 56% respectively), but this is less
common among parents of 12-15s (34%).
Rules regarding the type of content of the games played (i.e. no games with violence or drug
use or nudity/sexual content) are broadly comparable for parents of 3-4s, 5-7s and 8-11s
and are considerably lower among parents of 12-15s. Parents of 3-4s are more likely to have
rules in place about playing games only when supervised and not on their own (33% for 3-4s
vs. 21% for 5-7s, 11% for 8-11s and 3% for 12-15s).
When comparing by gender, in 2012 the overall incidence of having rules in place was
higher among parents of boys aged 12-15 than girls (67% vs. 56%). In 2013, this is no
longer the case; boys and girls in each group are equally as likely to have rules in place. In
terms of individual rules, boys aged 3-4, 5-7 and 12-15 are more likely than girls to have the
rule about no games after a certain time (41% vs. 29% for 3-4s,45% vs. 34% for 5-7s and
31% vs. 19% for 12-15s). There is one other difference by gender; girls aged 12-15 are more
likely than boys to have the rules about no online game playing (11% vs. 3%).
In 2013 parents in AB households are more likely to have rules in place, compared to all
parents of children aged 5-15 who play games (81% vs. 74%). They are also more likely to
have 11 of the 12 individual rules in place. They are as likely to have the rule regarding
playing only when supervised/ not on their own (13% vs. 11%). Parents of 5-15s in DE
households are less likely to have three rules in place, compared to all 5-15s: regularly
checking on what they are playing (26% vs. 32%), no games with nudity/ sexual content
(25% vs. 32%) and no games with swearing/ offensive language (24% vs. 31%).
Compared to 2012, rules are no more or less likely to be in place among any age group of
child.

111

This could be a fixed or portable games console/ computer/ mobile phone or portable media
player.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 132: Parental rules for gaming, by age: 2013

Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Any rules or restrictions

88%

74%

86%

81%

58%

Only games with appropriate age rating

56%

50%

62%

56%

34%

No games after a certain time

35%

34%

40%

39%

25%

Regularly check on what theyre playing

35%

32%

38%

39%

21%

No games with violence

35%

32%

40%

39%

19%

No games with drug use

34%

32%

40%

37%

20%

No games with nudity/ sexual content

33%

32%

39%

37%

20%

No games with swearing/ bad language

34%

31%

40%

37%

19%

No online game playing

22%

15%

24%

18%

7%

No online game playing with people they dont

already know

15%

14%

19%

15%

8%

No online chat or messaging

18%

12%

18%

16%

5%

Can only play when supervised/ not on their own

33%

11%

21%

11%

3%

Only a game that an adult or parent has played/

tried first

19%

10%

16%

12%

3%

(added in 2013)

QP77 - Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the games that your child plays at home whether on a games console, a computer or any
other device? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child ever plays games at home on any type of game playing device (xxx aged 3-4, 1486 aged 5-15, 447
aged 5-7, 535 aged 8-11, 504 aged 12-15). Significance testing indicates any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Few games consoles have parental controls set

Parents whose child aged 3-15 plays at home on a handheld/ portable games console, or a
fixed games console connected to a television, were asked whether any parental controls
are loaded onto each type of console, either to stop their child playing games that are above
a certain age rating or to restrict or prevent their child from going online using the games
console.
As shown in Figure 133, among 5-15s around one in six handheld/ portable games consoles
(16%) and one in five fixed games consoles (19%) have parental controls. The incidence of
controls on a handheld/ portable gaming device does not vary by the age of the child. In
2013, controls on the fixed games console are more likely for 8-11s (26%) than for 5-7s
(15%) or 12-15s (14%). A similar proportion of 3-4s have controls on a handheld games
player (20%) as have controls on a fixed games console (19%).
In 2013, controls are more likely on fixed games consoles for boys aged 12-15 than for girls
(18% vs. 9%). There are no differences by gender within age for controls on the handheld/
portable games player, and no differences in the incidence of controls for either gaming
device by household socio-economic group. Compared to 2012, parents of 8-11s are more
likely to have controls on fixed games consoles (26% vs. 16%).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 133: Use of parental controls on games consoles, by age: 2011-2013

Parental controls on handheld/ portable games console

Parental controls on fixed games console (connected to TV)

26

Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 8-11

2013

2011

15 14

2012

2011

Aged 5-7

13

2013

15 16

2012

15

2013

2012

20 20

2011

19

2013

15 16

2012

2013

2011

2012

2013

2011

2012

14 13

2011

19
10

2013

2012

13 14

2013

15 14
13

2012

16

2013

14

2012

2011

2013

2011

2012

12

2011

20

2011

20

Aged 12-15

QP80/81 Are there any parental controls set on the handheld games console? / Are there any parental controls set on the games console that is
connected to a TV? (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 with a portable games console (207aged 3-4 in 2013,1166 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1085 aged 5-15 in 2012, 899 aged 515 in 2013, 382 aged 5-7 in 2011, 397 aged 5-7 in 2012, 282 aged 5-7 in 2013, 454 aged 8-11 in 2011, 388 aged 8-11in 2012, 358 aged 8-11 in 2013, 330
aged 12-15 in 2011, 300 aged 12-15 in 2012, 259 aged 12-15 in 2013)/ Parents of children aged 5-15 with a fixed games console (169 aged 3-4, 1271
aged 5-15 in 2011, 1254 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1071 aged 5-15 in 2013, 366 aged 5-7 in 2011, 390 aged 5-7 in 2012, 290 aged 5-7 in 2013, 459 aged 8-11 in
2011, 440 aged 8-11 in 2012, 401 aged 8-11 in 2013, 446 aged 12-15 in 2011, 424 aged 12-15 in 2012, 380 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing
shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Those parents who do not have parental controls set on the handheld/ portable games
console, or on the fixed games console that is connected to a television, were asked to say
why. Figure 134 looks at reasons for not having parental controls on the handheld/ portable
games console among parents of children aged 5-15, while Figure 135 looks at reasons for
not having parental controls on the fixed games console that is connected to a television.
Among all 5-15s the reasons for not having controls on either device are similar. One third of
parents say this is because they trust the child to be sensible/ responsible (33% for handheld
games players and 35% for fixed consoles) and around three in ten say it is because the
child is always supervised (28% for handheld games players and 30% for fixed consoles).
Around one in ten say it is because the child is too young for this to be a problem (12% vs.
9%).
Some parents do not use parental controls on the handheld/ portable games console, either
because they dont know how to do it, or are not aware that it is possible. Being unaware of
parental controls in either of these ways accounts for more than one in five parents of 5-15s
who do not have parental controls in place (25% for handheld/ portable games consoles and
22% for fixed games consoles).
In 2013, compared to all parents of 5-15s without controls in place, parents in AB
households are less likely to say it is because they are unaware of these controls for fixed
games consoles (14% vs. 22%), while those in DE households are more likely to give this
response for both portable (34% vs. 25%) and fixed games consoles (31% vs. 22%).
There are no differences in the reasons for not having parental controls in place, for either
the portable/ handheld or the fixed games player, by the gender of the child.
Among parents of 5-15s, there is only one difference in reasons for not having controls in
place across either gaming device since 2012. Parents are less likely to say they do not
have controls in place on the fixed games console because the child is always supervised
(30% vs. 35%).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 134: Reasons for not having parental controls on the handheld/ portable
games console among parents of 5-15s: 20112013
Trust child to
Child is
be sensible/
always
responsible supervised

Did not
know was
possible

Child too
young for
this to be
a problem

Only plays
age
appropriate
games/
doesnt go
online

Dont
know how
to do this

Child is too
old for
setting
these
controls

Would
Too
find a way complicated
around
/time
controls consuming
to install
(Added in
2013)

Would
interfere
with other
siblings/
family
members
gaming

UNAWARE
HOW
(Did not know
was possible/
Dont know how
to do this)

(Added in
2013)

33 32 33
27

30 28
18

23 25 25

23 21
13 13 12

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

1
2011

2012
2013

1
2011

2012
2013

1 1 2
2011

2012
2013

4 3 3
2011

3 5
2012
2013

6
2011

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

2011

5 5 5

QP84 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 who have not set parental controls on the handheld/ portable games console (979 aged 5-15 in 2011, 901 aged 5-15
in 2012, 708 aged 5-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 135: Reasons for not having parental controls on the fixed games console
among parents of 5-15s: 20112013
Trust child to
Child is
be sensible/
always
responsible supervised

Did not
know was
possible

Child too
young for
this to be
a problem

Dont
know how
to do this

Child is too
old for
setting
these
controls

Would
find a way
around
controls

Only plays
Would
age
interfere
appropriate with other
games/
siblings/
doesnt go
family
online
members
gaming

Too
UNAWARE
complicated
HOW
/time
(Did not know
consuming
was possible/
to install
Dont know how
(Added in
to do this)
2013)

(Added in
2013)

35
30
20 21 22

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

1
2011

2011

2012
2013

2011

1
2011

3 3 2
2012
2013

1 2 3
2012
2013

5 3 4
2012
2013

6 4 6
2012
2013

10 11 9

2011

18 18

2011

2011

2012
2013

2011

2012
2013

2011

15

2012
2013

28

2011

34 35

2012
2013

37

QP85 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 who have not set parental controls on the fixed games console (1019 aged 5-15 in 2011, 995 aged 5-15 in 2012, 800
aged 5-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Rules about the internet

Four in five parents have rules in place about their childs internet use
Four in five parents of children aged 5 -15 who use the internet at home (79%) say they
have put in place any of the internet rules that we asked about. Rules about the internet are
more common for children aged 5-7 (92%) than for 8-11s (86%), and 8-11s are more likely
to have rules than those aged 12-15 (65%).
More than eight in ten parents of 3-4s have rules in place about their childs internet use,
although this is lower than the incidence among parents of 5-7s (84% vs. 92%). No single
online rule is in place among the majority of parents of 3-4s. A sizeable minority of parents of
3-4s who go online at home have a rule about only visiting childrens websites (44%) or
about using the internet only when supervised/ not on their own (42%).
There is no single rule in place for a majority of 5-7 year old internet users. Forty-four per
cent of parents of 5-7s say they regularly check what their child is doing online, or have a
rule about visiting childrens websites only (44%). Around one in three parents say their child
can go online only when supervised, and not on their own (37%) and cannot go online after
a certain time (33%).
The rule relating to the parent regularly checking what their child is doing online is in place
among half of all parents of an 8-11 year-old child (51%). There are no other rules in place
among the majority of parents of 8-11s. Parents of 8-11s are more likely than parents of 5-7s
and 12-15s to have rules in place about no purchasing from websites (34% for 8-11s vs.
23% for 5-7s and 24% for 12-15s) and no social networking sites (28% for 8-11s vs. 19% for
5-7s and 9% for 12-15s). There is no single rule in place for the majority of 12-15s who go
online, and no single rule is more likely to be in place for 12-15s compared to younger
children.
In 2013, neither the overall incidence of having rules in place, nor the incidence of any
individual rule for home internet use, varies within age, according to the gender of the child.
There are, however, differences by household socio-economic group. Compared to all
parents of 5-15s who go online at home, having any rules about their childs internet use is
more likely among parents in AB households (85% vs. 79%) and less likely in DE
households (73% vs. 79%).
There are seven individual rules that are more likely in place in AB households: regularly
checking on what children are doing online (56% vs. 45%), no internet after a certain time
(39% vs. 32%), no purchasing from websites (36% vs. 27%), only allowed to use the internet
for a certain amount of time (31% vs. 21%), no social networking websites (27% vs. 18%),
only talk/ chat with friends/ people they already know (21% vs. 13%) and no instant
messaging (17% vs. 11%). There is one rule less likely to be in place among C2 households:
only allowed to use the internet for a certain amount of time (15% vs. 21%). Two rules are
also less likely in DE households: regularly check on what children are doing online (34% vs.
45%) and no social networking websites (14% vs. 18%).
There are some differences compared to 2012. Children aged 5-15 are less likely to have a
rule about only visiting childrens websites (19% vs. 23%), which is due to 5-7s (44% vs.
53%) and 8-11s being less likely to have this rule in place (22% vs. 30%). Children aged 515 are also less likely to have the rule about only using the internet for homework (5% vs.
7%), but this decrease is not attributable to any particular age group of child.
Parents of 5-7 year old children are now less likely to have a rule in place about not visiting
social networking sites (19% vs. 28%), while 12-15s are now more likely to have this rule in

174

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

place (9% vs. 5%), and 12-15s are less likely to have a rule about only being allowed to chat
with friends/ people they already know (10% vs. 15%).
Figure 136: Parental rules for the internet, by age: 2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Any rules or restrictions

84%

79%

92%

86%

65%

Regularly check what theyre doing

online

25%

45%

44%

51%

41%

No internet after a certain time

28%

32%

33%

36%

28%

No purchasing from websites

10%

27%

23%

34%

24%

Only allowed to use the internet for a

certain amount of time

13%

21%

23%

28%

13%

Only childrens websites

44%

19%

Can only use when supervised/ not on

their own

42%

19%

37%

No social networking websites

9%

18%

19%

PIN/ Password required to enter

websites unless already approved

14%

15%

Only talk/ chat with friends/ people they

already know

2%

No Instant Messaging/ MSN

(-4)

44%

(-9)

22%

(-8)

4%

22%

7%

28%

9%

17%

18%

11%

13%

13%

18%

10%

5%

11%

17%

17%

3%

Only websites stored in their Favourites

list

10%

9%

12%

12%

4%

Only use for homework

0%

5%

5%

7%

3%

(-2)

(-9)

(+4)

(-5)

QP29 Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the access that your child has to the internet on any device? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4, 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15).
Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Rules about parental supervision of the internet

Figure 137 shows the proportion of parents who say they either have the rule about regularly
checking what their child is doing online, or the rule that their child can only use the internet
when supervised and not when they are on their own. By combining the responses of
parents who have either of these rules, it is possible to show an overall measure for rules
relating to parental supervision.
Just under half (45%) of all parents of 5-15s say they regularly check what their child is
doing online. Parents of 8-11s (51%) are as likely as parents of 5-7s (44%) to do this, and
more likely than parents of 12-15s to do it (41%). One in four parents of 3-4s who go online
at home also regularly check what their child is doing (25%).
The rule regarding children using the internet only when supervised and not on their own is
in place for one in five 5-15s (19%) and decreases with age, with one in three (37%) parents
of 5-7s having this rule, compared to 22% of 8-11s and around one in 20 12-15s (7%). More
than four in ten parents of 3-4s say their child can go online only when supervised (42%).
Combining these responses shows that more than half of parents of 5-15s (53%) supervise
their child in some way when online, with parents of 5-7s (62%) and 8-11s (60%) being more
likely to do so than parents of 12-15s (43%).

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age for each of the individual rules
relating to online parental supervision, nor for the overall measure of parental supervision.
As mentioned above, parents of 5-15 year old internet users in AB households are more
likely than parents of all internet users to have rules about regularly checking what their child
is doing online, while DE households are less likely to have this rule. As such, the overall
measure for parental supervision is higher in AB households (62% vs. 53%) and lower in DE
households (44% vs. 53%).
There are no differences in the incidence of any of these rules by any age group of child,
compared to 2012.
Figure 137: Internet rules and restrictions relating to parental supervision, by age:
2013
Internet rules - Any
% point
change
since 2012

NA

Internet rules

Internet rules -

regularly check on what

they are doing online

can only use when

supervised, not on
their own

NA

Internet rules
either of these
NET SUPERVISED

NA

NA

92

86

84
79

65

62 60
52

51
45 44

41

53
43

42
37

25
19

22
7

Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

QP29 Do you have any of these rules or restrictions about the access that your child has to the internet on any device? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 3-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4, 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15).
Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

176

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Parental controls on the internet

Forty-three per cent of parents have any type of parental controls installed on
the PC/ laptop/ netbook that their child uses at home
In 2012, additional questions were added to the media literacy survey in order to better
understand parents use of, and attitude towards, online controls.
Parents whose child uses either a PC/ laptop or a netbook to go online at home were
prompted with four specific types of online parental controls and asked whether these were
installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that their child uses: parental controls in place that were
provided by their internet service provider (ISP) 112; parental controls provided by the
computers operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac etc.); parental controls that someone in
the household had installed or downloaded onto the computer, either free or paid for (e.g.
Net Nanny, Open DNS, Family Shield); parental controls installed, but unsure of the specific
type of controls.
Figure 138: Types of parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook the child
uses at home, by age: 2012-2013
Parental controls
provided by your
ISP**

Parental controls
provided by your
computers
operating system

Parental
controls
installed by
someone within
the household

Parental
controls
installed but
unsure what
type

Dont know
whether parental
controls are
installed

ANY OF
THESE TYPES
OF PARENTAL
CONTROLS

46
40
22

Aged
5-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-15

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-15

Aged
3-4

2013

2012

10 10
2013

2013

2013

2013

2012

2013

2013

2013

2012

2013

2013

2012

2013

Aged
3-4

2012

16 15
9

2012

25

2013

21

43

Aged
5-15

QP30 Do you have any of these types of parental controls loaded or put in place and working on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that your child uses at home to
prevent them viewing certain types of website? (prompted responses, multi-coded) **ISP-provided controls could include any of the following: network level
filtering e.g. Homesafe from TalkTalk or software - like McAfee Family Protection - provided by ISPs for people to install on their computers
Base: Parents whose child uses a PC, laptop or netbook to go online at home (1405 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1354 aged 5-15 in 2013, 185 aged 3-4 in 2013) Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Close to half of parents of 5-15s (43%) have any of these types of controls installed. Parents
of 5-7s (45%) and 8-11s (51%) are more likely than parents of 12-15s (35%) to have any of
them in place. Any of these types of control are in place among four in ten parents of 3-4s
who go online at home through a PC/ laptop or netbook (40%).
112

ISP-provided controls could include any of the following: network level filtering e.g. Homesafe
from TalkTalk or software - like McAfee Family Protection - provided by ISPs for people to install on
their computers.

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Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

The most commonly-installed parental controls among parents of 5-15s who use a PC,
laptop or netbook to go online at home were those provided by their internet service provider
(ISP), with one in five (22%) claiming to have this 113. Parental controls provided by the
computers operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac etc.) are the next most popular type of
parental control, with 15% of parents of 5-15s having these installed. Around one in ten
parents (9%) have parental controls that someone in the household had installed or
downloaded onto the computer, either free or paid for (e.g. Net Nanny, Open DNS, Family
Shield). Around one in 20 parents (6%) say that they have controls installed but they are
unsure of the specific type of controls, while one in ten parents (10%) say they are unsure
whether they have any parental controls set up/ installed.
Compared to parents of 5-7s, parents of 3-4s are as likely to have controls installed overall
(40% vs. 45%) and are no more or less likely to have each of the specific types of online
controls in place.
In 2013, while the overall incidence of having controls does not vary by household socioeconomic group, parents of 5-15s in AB households are more likely to have parental controls
installed that were provided by the computers operating system (23% vs. 15%). And parents
of boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls to have parental controls installed by
someone in the household (10% vs. 4%).

Reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook
The reasons for not having parental controls installed at home differ
considerably by the age of the child
Those parents of 3-15s 114 who have never had parental controls installed on the PC/ laptop/
netbook that the child uses at home 115 were asked to say why.
Figure 139 below looks at reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/
laptop/ netbook that the child uses at home, among parents of children aged 5-15. In 2013,
half of this group say it is because they trust their child to be sensible/ responsible (49%),
with close to four in ten saying there is no need for controls as their child is always
supervised (38%).
The reasons given tend to vary by the age of the child, as shown in Figure 140 and Figure
141 116. The main reason given by nearly two in three parents of 5-7s (62%) is that their child
is always supervised when using the internet; with one in three (35%) saying their child is too
young for this to be a problem. Around half of parents of 8-11s also say it is because their
child is always supervised (53%) or because they trust their child to be sensible/ responsible
(46%). Among parents of 12-15s, two in three (66%) say they trust their child to be
responsible, with around two in ten (18%) stating that they do not set internet controls
113

ISP-provided controls could include any of the following: network level filtering e.g. Homesafe
from TalkTalk or software - like McAfee Family Protection - provided by ISPs for people to install on
their computers.
114
Low base sizes prevent analysis among parents of 3-4s.
115
In previous years this question was asked of those parents who did not currently have controls
installed. In 2013 it was asked of parents who had never had controls installed. 85% of parents of 515s without controls currently installed say they have never had controls, 8% say they used to have
them installed but have since stopped using them and the remaining 7% are unsure. The data
between 2012 and 2013, could therefore in theory be comparable for close to nine in ten respondents
(92%). However, while time series data are shown in Figure 139, Figure 140 and Figure 141, they
have not been tested for significance due to this change. The time series data should therefore be
treated as indicative only.
116
The data in Figure 140 and Figure 141 only show responses given by 5% or more of all parents.

178

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

because their child is always supervised. Trusting their child to be sensible/ responsible is
considerably lower among parents of 5-7s (15%) and 8-11s (46%) compared to 12-15s
(66%).
One in eight (13%) parents of 5-15s say they do not have parental controls installed on the
PC/ laptop/ netbook, either because they dont know how to do this, or they are not aware
that it is possible. This is comparable across each of the three age groups of children.
There are no differences in reasons for not having internet controls in place by household
socio-economic group. Parents of boys aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of girls aged
12-15 to say that controls would not work because their child would find a way round these
controls (10% vs. 2%) 117.
Figure 139: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/
laptop/ netbook that the child (5-15) uses at home: 2011-2013
Trust child to
be sensible/
responsible

Child is
always
supervised

Child too
young for this
to be a
problem

Child too
young to surf/
look around
the web

Dont know
how to do this

Child learns
how to be
safe on the
internet at
school

Did not know

was possible

UNAWARE
HOW (Did not
know was
possible/ Dont
know how to do
this)

49
42 44

44
34

38

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

12

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

12 10 13
5

2011 2012 2013

2011 2012 2013

QP36 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded) only responses shown where>5% of all parents have given that
answer
Base: IN 2013: Parents that have never had controls set on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child mostly uses to go online at home (539 aged 5-15)/
Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 without any controls set or software loaded to stop their child viewing certain types of websites (787 aged 515 in 2011)/ BASE AMENDED IN 2012 - Parents of children aged 5-15 with no parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child
to go online at home (607 aged 5-15 in 2012). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

117

Bases for parents of boys and girls aged 5-7 and 8-11 are too low for analysis.

179

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 140: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/
laptop/ netbook that the child uses at home, by age: 2011-2013 118
Trust child to be sensible/
responsible

Child is always
supervised

Child too young for

this to be a problem

Child too young to

surf/ look around the
web

Base for 3-4s too low

63 62
50

49

46

63
53

35

33 32

28
23
16

15

27

23

31
26

18
12 10 12

8 7

Aged
12-15

2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2011

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

2011
2012
2013

2012
2013

2011

1 0 2

Aged
5-7

7
0 1 0
2011
2012
2013

67 66

2011
2012
2013

64

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP36 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded) only responses shown where>5% of all parents have given that answer
Base: IN 2013: Parents that have never had controls set on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child mostly uses to go online at home (144 aged 5-7, 157 aged
8-11, 238 aged 12-15)/ Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 without any controls set or software loaded to stop their child viewing certain types of
websites(230 aged 5-7 in 2011, 238 aged 8-11 in 2011,319 aged 12-15 in 2011)/ BASE AMENDED IN 2012 - Parents of children aged 5-15 with no parental
controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (155 aged 5-7, 186 aged 8-11, 266 aged 12-15). Significance testing
shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

118

Figure 140 shows responses given by 5% or more of all parents of 5-15s without parental controls
set on the PC/ laptop/ netbook the child uses at home.

180

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 141: Unprompted reasons for not having parental controls installed on the PC/
laptop/ netbook that the child uses at home, by age: 2011-2013 119
Dont know how to do this

Child learns how

to be safe on the
internet at school

Did not know was

possible

UNAWARE HOW
(Did not know was
possible/ Dont know
how to do this

2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

1 3 2

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
5-7

7 9

Aged
5-7

11 12 13

13

10

14

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

2 3 3

11

2011
2012
2013

7 5 6

2011
2012
2013

7 5
4

2011
2012
2013

Aged
12-15

6 6 6

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

10
7 8
2011
2012
2013

6 5

2011
2012
2013

Aged
5-7

6 7 8
2011
2012
2013

2 3

2011
2012
2013

2011
2012
2013

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP36 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded) only responses shown where>5% of all parents have given that answer
Base: IN 2013: Parents that have never had controls set on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child mostly uses to go online at home (144 aged 5-7, 157 aged
8-11, 238 aged 12-15)/ Prior to 2013: Parents of children aged 5-15 without any controls set or software loaded to stop their child viewing certain types of
websites(230 aged 5-7 in 2011, 238 aged 8-11 in 2011,319 aged 12-15 in 2011)/ BASE AMENDED IN 2012 - Parents of children aged 5-15 with no parental
controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (155 aged 5-7, 186 aged 8-11, 266 aged 12-15). Significance testing
shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

119

Figure 141 shows responses given by 5% or more of all parents of 5-15s without parental controls
set on the PC/ laptop/ netbook the child uses at home.

181

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Experience of parents with controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook used
Parents are more likely to install controls on the PC/ laptop/ netbook as a
precautionary measure rather than as a result of someone seeing something
inappropriate online
Since 2012, parents with controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child uses at
home were prompted with a list of possible reasons for putting parental controls in place on
the computer, and asked to say which one applied.
Figure 142 shows that one in ten (10%) parents of 5-15s 120 say that the controls were
installed as a result of someone in the household seeing something inappropriate online.
Just under half of parents of 5-15s say the controls were pre-installed (43%) or that they
were installed as a precautionary measure (45%).
In 2013, parents of 5-15s in AB households are more likely to say the controls were installed
as a precaution (56% vs. 45%) and are less likely to say they were already installed (32%
vs. 43%). The reverse is true of parents in DE households, who are less likely to say they
were installed as a precautionary measure (33% vs. 45%) and more likely to say that
controls were already installed (57% vs. 43%).
Compared to 2012, parents of children aged 5-7 are more likely to say the controls were preinstalled (49% vs. 35%).
Figure 142: Reasons for installing parental controls on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that
the child uses at home, by age: 2012-2013

Controls were already

installed

Installed as a result of a
specific incident

Installed as a
precaution/ just in case

Dont know

46

49

52

52
44

43

43 45

44

44

48

38

37

35

44

43

13

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

4 2

2012
2013

3 3

2012
2013

4 3

2012
2013

3 3

2012
2013

2012
2013

7 9

2012
2013

2012
2013

8 10

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

Aged
5-15

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP32 - Please look at the reasons shown on this card. Which one of these describes why the parental controls were put in place? (prompted responses,
single coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (650 aged 5-15 in 2012, 594
aged 5-15 in 2013, 186 aged 5-7 in 2012, 164 aged 5-7 in 2013, 248 aged 8-11 in 2012, 246 aged 8-11 in 2013, 216 aged 12-15 in 2012, 184 aged 12-15 in
2013) Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

120

Low base sizes prevent analysis among parents of 3-4s with controls installed.

182

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

The majority of parents with online parental controls believe in the

effectiveness of these controls and that their child is safer as a result
Parents with controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook that the child uses at home were
asked the extent to which they agreed with four statements about these controls.
Figure 143 121shows that a majority of parents in each age group agreed strongly that: I am
confident that the parental controls that we have in place are effective with parents of 5-7s
(72%) and parents of 8-11s (67%) being more likely to agree strongly than parents of 12-15s
(55%). In 2013 there are no differences by gender when comparing responses from parents
of boys aged 5-15 to those from parents of girls 122. There are also no differences by
household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of children aged 5-15 are less likely to disagree strongly with this
statement (1% vs. 3%).
There are no differences in attitudes when comparing parents of 5-15s who say the controls
were provided by their ISP with parents whose controls were built in to the computers
operating system.
Figure 143: Parental agreement about online controls I am confident that the
parental controls we have in place are effective, by age: 2012-2013
Strongly agree
0%

All aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Slightly agree

Neither/ DK

20%

40%

Slightly disagree

Strongly disagree

60%

80%

2012

65

24

2013

64

26

2012

72

2013

72

2012

66

2013

67

2012

2013

4 4 3

15

24

4 2 4

5 3

24

29

31

22

61

55

100%

QP34A-C Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place
(prompted responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (650 aged 5-15 in 2012,
594 aged 5-15 in 2013 ,186 aged 5-7 in 2012, 164 aged 5-7 in 2013, 248 aged 8-11 in 2012, 246 aged 8-11 in 2013, 216 aged 12-15 in 2012, 184 aged
12-15 in 2013 ) Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence between 2012 and 2013
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

121

Low base sizes prevent analysis among parents of 3-4s with online controls.
Low base sizes for parents of boys and girls aged 5-7 and 12-15 prevent analysis by gender within
age.

122

183

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 144 shows responses for the statement I feel that my child is safer as a result of the
controls we have. As with the effectiveness of online parental controls, the majority of
parents of children in each age group agree strongly, with parents of 5-7s (73%) and parents
of 8-11s (70%) being more likely to agree strongly than parents of 12-15s (57%).
In 2013 there are no differences by gender when comparing responses given by parents of
boys aged 5-15 to those given by parents of girls. There are also no differences by
household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 5-15s are less likely to disagree strongly (1% vs. 4%) as are
parents of 5-7s (1% vs. 5%).
Figure 144: Parental agreement about online controls I feel that my child is safer as
a result of the controls we have, by age, 2012-2013
Strongly agree
0%

All aged 5-15

Slightly agree

Neither/ DK

20%

40%

65

2012

Aged 12-15

80%

2012

69

2013

70

59

2013

57

3 4

27

4 2

19

5 2 5

21

73

2012

100%

22

70

2012

2013

Aged 8-11

Strongly disagree

60%

66

2013

Aged 5-7

Slightly disagree

17

3 4

23

29

35

4 2

32

3 3

QP34A-C Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place
(prompted responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (650 aged 5-15 in 2012,
594 aged 5-15 in 2013 ,186 aged 5-7 in 2012, 164 aged 5-7 in 2013, 248 aged 8-11 in 2012, 246 aged 8-11 in 2013, 216 aged 12-15 in 2012, 184 aged
12-15 in 2013 ) Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

184

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 145 shows that a while a majority of parents do not disagree strongly, they do
disagree overall with the statement: The parental controls get in the way of what I or other
family members want to access online. Close to seven in ten parents of children aged 5-15
disagree (68%) with this statement while a sizeable minority of parents (25%) agree. Overall
agreement and disagreement does not vary by the age of the child.
As with the previous statements, in 2013 there are no differences by the childs gender
among parents of 5-15s, nor are there differences by household socio-economic group.
There are also no differences in attitudes among parents of 5-7s, 8-11s, 12-15s or at an
overall level (among 5-15s) since 2012.
Parents of 5-15s who say their controls were provided by their ISP are more likely than
parents whose online controls were built in to the computers operating system to agree with
this statement (29% vs. 19%).
Figure 145:Parental agreement about online controls The parental controls get in
the way of what I or other family members want to access online, by age, 2012-2013
Strongly agree

Slightly agree

0%

All aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

2012

13

2013

13

2012

12

Aged 12-15

2012

14

2013

15

2012

2013

12

10

40%

10

10

11

10

12

43

20

17

43

19

11

100%

50

10

11

80%

47

22

10

Strongly disagree

60%

21

12

Slightly disagree

25

16

2013

Aged 8-11

Neither/ DK

20%

45

51

32

26

37

45

QP34A-C Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place
(prompted responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (650 aged 5-15 in 2012,
594 aged 5-15 in 2013 ,186 aged 5-7 in 2012, 164 aged 5-7 in 2013, 248 aged 8-11 in 2012, 246 aged 8-11 in 2013, 216 aged 12-15 in 2012, 184 aged
12-15 in 2013 ) Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

185

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In 2013, parents with online controls installed on the PC/ laptop/ netbook used by their child
at home were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statement: I am
concerned that the controls we have invade my childs privacy. The majority of parents
overall and within each age group disagree strongly with this statement, and less than one in
ten parents of 5-15s agree strongly (8%). Parents of 8-11s are, however, more likely than
parents of 12-15s to agree strongly (11% vs. 4%).
As with the previous statements, in 2013 there are no differences by the childs gender
among parents of 5-15s, nor are their differences by household socio-economic group.
There are no differences in attitudes among parents of 5-7s, 8-11s, 12-15s or at an overall
level (among 5-15s) since 2012.
There are also no differences in attitudes when comparing parents of 5-15s who say their
controls were provided by their ISP with parents whose online controls were built in to the
computers operating system.
Figure 146: Parental agreement about online controls I am concerned that the
controls we have invade my childs privacy, by age, 2012-2013
Strongly agree

Slightly agree

0%

Aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

11

4 4

Aged 8-11

Aged 12-15

Neither/ DK

20%

AB

C1

11

DE

10

60%

17

68

60

19

65

14

71

100%

58

24

Strongly disagree
80%

63

13

Slightly disagree

18

C2

40%

20

20

55

59

QP34D Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place (prompted
responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents with any parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (594 aged 5-15 , 64 aged 5-7, 246
aged 8-11, 184 aged 12-15) Signif icance testing shows any dif f erence by socio-economic group compared to all children aged 5-15
Source: Of com research, f ieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

A majority of parents with controls set on each medium that their child uses feel that these
controls are effective and that their child is safe: TV controls score highest and mobile filters
lowest.
Figure 147 below summarises attitudes towards online controls and television controls
among parents of 5-15s with each type of controls set. This clearly shows that parents of 515s with online controls are more likely to believe that their child is safer as a result, and that

186

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

the online controls are effective, than they are to believe that the controls get in the way or
that their childs privacy is compromised.
While at an overall level, parents with online controls appear as likely as those with television
controls to agree that the controls are effective and that their child is safer as a result, those
with television controls are more likely than to agree strongly that the parental controls are
effective (75% of those with television controls vs. 64% of those with online controls).
Figure 147: Summary of attitudes toward parental controls among parents of 5-15s,
online and television: 2013
Online Controls
All aged 5-15

Strongly agree

Slightly agree

I feel that my child is safer

as a result

0%

13

11

21

40%

Slightly agree

60%

Neither/DK

SlightlyDisagree

75

80%

15

40%

60%

100%

Strongly disagree

13

73

20%

31

63

20%

I feel that my child is safer

as a result

47

18

I am confident that the

parental controls we
have are effective

4 21

26

Strongly agree

0%

Strongly disagree

27

64

Parental controls get in the way

of what I or other family
members want to access online

Television Controls
All aged 5-15

SlightlyDisagree

66

Confident that parental

controls we have are effective

Concerned that controls we

have invade my childs privacy

Neither/DK

80%

2 3

2 3

100%

QP17A-B/ QP34A-D Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the parental controls that you have in place
(prompted responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents of children with a TV set in the household that the child watches with any parental controls set (744)/ Those parents with any parental
controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (594)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

In 2013, parents of children aged 3-15 with controls/ filters set on their childs mobile phone,
handheld games players or fixed games consoles were also asked the extent to which they
agreed or disagreed with the statements regarding the effectiveness of the parental controls
and whether they felt the child was safer as a result. Due to issues with base sizes it is
possible to show only how parents of 5-15s responded to these questions. The results are
shown in Figure 148, ranked by platform on a per-statement basis, according to the
proportions agreeing strongly.
For both statements, around seven in ten parents with controls agree strongly with regard to
the controls on their TV services or on the fixed games console, with around two in three in
agreement regarding the controls on the handheld games player or their online controls.
Around half agree with regard to the mobile phone filters that are in place.
While a majority of parents with parental controls set on each medium that their child uses
feel that these controls are effective and that their child is safe, TV controls score highest
and mobile filters lowest for both of these measures.

187

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 148: Summary of attitudes towards parental controls among parents of 5-15s,
by platform: 2013
Strongly agree

Slightly agree
0%

I am confident
that the parental
controls that we
have in place
are effective

Neither/ DK
20%

40%

Slightly disagree

Strongly disagree

60%

80%

75

100%

13

6 23

TV

Aged 5-15

Games
console

Aged 5-15

Handheld games
player

Aged 5-15

Internet

Aged 5-15

Mobile

Aged 5-15

TV

Aged 5-15

Games
console

Aged 5-15

70

18

10 2 2

Handheld games
player

Aged 5-15

68

21

9 12

Internet

Aged 5-15

Mobile

Aged 5-15

I feel that my child

is safer as a result

72

19

66

20

64

10

26

51

24

15

66

7 23

27
26

6 31
15

73

54

7 12

4 21
8

QP17A-B/ QP34A-B/ QP71A-B/ QP82A-B/ QP83A-B Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to the
parental controls that you have in place (prompted responses, single-coded)
Base: Those parents of children with a TV set in the household that the child watches with any parental controls set (744)/ Those parents with any
parental controls on the PC, laptop or netbook mostly used by their child to go online at home (594)/ Parents who say their child's mobile phone can be
used to go online and controls or filters are set on the phone(202)/ Parents whose child ever plays games at home on a handheld games player with
controls set on the handheld games player (150)/
Parents whose child ever plays games at home on a games console connected to a TV with controls set on the games console connected to a TV (207)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Compared to 2012, parents of 5-7s are now less likely to use safe search
settings on search engine websites.
Parents of children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home were asked whether three other
online security measures were in place in the household. Slightly more than four in ten
(43%) parents say they use safe search settings, with slightly fewer (38%) using the history
function on the computer to see which websites their child has visited. One in ten (11%)
have software installed to limit the amount of time their child can spend on the internet. Six in
ten (62%) parents have any of these three measures in place.
As shown in Figure 150, parents of 8-11s (48%) are more likely to use safe search settings
than are parents of 3-4s (37%), parents of 5-7s (40%) and parents of 12-15s (39%). Use of
the history function is much less likely among parents of 3-4s (21%) compared to parents of
5-15s (38%). Use of software to limit time spent online does not vary by the age of the child.
Overall, parents of 8-11s (66%) are more likely than parents of 3-4s (48%), parents of 5-7s
(59%) and parents of 12-15s (59%) to have any of these three measures in place.
In 2013, responses do not vary by gender, within age or by household socio-economic
group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 5-15s are less likely to have any of these three measures in
place (62% vs.67%). Parents of 5-7s are also less likely to use safe search settings on
search engine websites (40% vs. 48%).

188

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 149: Online security measures in place, among parents of 5-15s: 2011-2013
Use of safe search
settings on search engine
websites

Use the 'History function

to see the websites that
your child has visited

Software installed that

limits the amount of time
your child can spend on
the internet

ANY OF THESE

67

62
47

46

43

42

62

38

32

2011

2012

2013

2011

Aged 5-15

2012

2013

Aged 5-15

10

11

2011

2012

2013

2011

Aged 5-15

2012

2013

Aged 5-15

QP40 - Which, if any, of the following measures do you have in place? (prompted responses, multi-coded)/ QP41 - Do you have settings that allow
only safe searches on search engines such as Google? (prompted responses single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in
2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 150: Online security measures in place, by age: 2011-2013

Use of safe search
settings on search engine
websites

Use the 'History function

to see the websites that
your child has visited

Software installed that

limits the amount of time
your child can spend on
the internet

ANY OF THESE

%
72
66

44
37

49

48

52

57
4848

40

40 39

40
29

33 36

59

63

66 63

62
59

48

44 41

41 39
30

21

13

Aged
3-4

11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

13

Aged
3-4

11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

12 11 9
8
7 9 10 9 8

13

11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

13

Aged
3-4

11 12 13 11 12 13 11 12 13

Aged
5-7

Aged
8-11

Aged
12-15

QP40 - Which, if any, of the following measures do you have in place? (prompted responses, multi-coded)/ QP41 - Do you have settings that allow
only safe searches on search engines such as Google? (prompted responses single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381
aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged
12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

189

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Around three in ten parents whose child uses YouTube on a PC/ laptop/
netbook have the safety mode set
In 2013, parents of children aged 5-15 who ever use a PC/ laptop or netbook to go online at
home were asked whether their child visits the YouTube website through this PC/ laptop/
netbook 123. Three in five children who ever go online through a PC/ laptop or netbook visit
YouTube (61%), with the likelihood increasing with the age of the child, accounting for one in
four 3-4s 124 (25%), one in three 5-7s (34%), half of 8-11s (54%) and four in five 12-15s
(80%).
Parents of children who visit this site were asked whether they had enabled YouTubes
safety mode to prevent their child viewing some videos.
Figure 151 shows that three in ten parents (31%) of a 5-15 year old who visits the YouTube
website through a PC/ laptop or netbook have the safety mode set. Parents of 5-7s (38%)
and 8-11s (37%) are more likely to have the safety mode enabled, compared to parents of
12-15s (26%).
In 2013, there are no differences in having the safety mode enabled by gender within age for
8-11s or 12-15s125, or by socio-economic group.
Figure 151: Use of safety mode on the YouTube website, by age: 2011-2013
Safety Mode on YouTube set
100%

10

Safety Mode on YouTube not set

62

59

Don't know whether Safety Mode set

60

63

12

80%

60%

64

58

65

56
68

67
67

40%

20%

28

25

34

31

38

32

29

37
24

21

26

0%

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013**

2011*

2012

Aged 5-7

2013**

2011

2012

Aged 8-11

2013**

2011

2012

2013**

Aged 12-15

QP43 - Have you enabled the Safety Mode on YouTube to prevent your child viewing some videos? (spontaneous responses, single coded) **RESULTS
BETWEEN 2012 AND 2013 ARE NOT DIRECTLY COMPARABLE DUE TO A CHANGE IN THE WAY IN WHICH THE QUESTION WAS ASKED
Base: IN 2013: Parents whose child visits the YouTube website on a PC/ laptop/ netbook (782 aged 5-15, 124 aged 5-7, 244 aged 8-11, 414 aged 1215)/Prior to 2013 Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child visits the YouTube website (759 aged 5-15 in 2011, 809 aged 5-15 in 2012, 82 aged 5-7 in
2011, 111 aged 5-7 in 2012, 274 aged 8-11 in 2011, 262 aged 8-11 in 2012, 403 aged 12-15 in 2011, 436 aged 12-15 in 2012) . *Base for 5-7s too low for
analysis in 2011. Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

123

In 2013, parents whose child ever goes online on a PC/ laptop/ netbook were asked about visiting
the YouTube website on the PC/ laptop/ netbook they use at home, in order to get a more accurate
measure of parental controls on the YouTube website. Prior to this the question was asked of all
home internet users (on any type of device) and it did not specify which types of devices they were
required to use to visit the YouTube website. As such, results over time are not directly comparable
and time series analysis has not been conducted for this question.
124
Low base sizes of 3-4s who visit the YouTube website prevent any further analysis for this group.
125
Low base sizes prevent analysis by gender among 5-7s.

190

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

One in five parents whose child watches/downloads content from UK

television broadcasters websites use parental controls on these sites
Parents of children who use the internet at home were asked whether their child ever
downloaded or watched TV programmes or films over the internet. The data for children
aged 5-15 are shown in Figure 152 and are broken down by age in Figure 153.
One in three children aged 5-15 (34%) now watch television content via UK television
broadcasters websites, according to their parents 126, and the incidence increases with age,
accounting for one in four (24%) aged 5-7, one in three (32%) aged 8-11 and two in five
(42%) aged 12-15. This activity is also undertaken by one in four aged 3-4 (26%), which is
comparable to the proportion of 5-7s who have done this (24%).
In 2013, responses for watching content through broadcasters websites do not vary by the
gender of the child, but there are differences by household socio-economic group. Parents of
5-15s who go online in AB households are more likely to say their child downloads content
from broadcasters websites (45% vs.34%) while those in DE households are less likely to
say this (27% vs. 34%).
Compared to 2012, 5-7s are the only age group that are now more likely to view television
content via broadcasters websites (24% vs. 17%).
Figure 152: Watching television programmes and films online, among 5-15s: 2009,
2011 2013
EITHER OF THESE

Watch online or download from UK

TV broadcasters websites
(examples given, including BBC
iPlayer)

Watch online or download from

other websites

33

35

37

22

2009

31

33

34

19

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013

2009

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

2013

10

13

6
2009

2011

2012

2013

Aged 5-15

QP50 Does your child watch TV programmes or films in any of the following ways? (prompted response, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (1421 aged 5-15 in 2011, 1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in
2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

126

Compared to the responses given by children (as shown in Figure 51), parents of 12-15s appear to
be less likely to say that their child ever watches TV programmes or films online through
broadcasters websites; 42% of parents vs. 52% of children, although parents of 5-7s appear to be
more likely to say they do (24% of parents vs.15% of children). However, the net effect of these
differences balance each other out as the overall measure for 5-15s is consistent (34% of parents vs.
35% of children). Children were asked to respond to internet activities shown on a list while parents
were asked a direct question about how their child ever watched TV programmes or films.

191

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 153: Watching television programmes and films online, by age: 2009, 2011 2013
EITHER OF THESE

Watch online or download from UK

TV broadcasters websites
(examples given, including BBC
iPlayer)

Watch online or download from

other websites

43
29

29 31

26
21 20

34

46 45

41 43 42

32
26
18 17

8
13

Aged
3-4

27 29

24

20

32

28

17

17

09 11 12 13

Aged
5-7

09 11 12 13

Aged
8-11

09 11 12 13

Aged
12-15

13

Aged
3-4

09 11 12 13

Aged
5-7

09 11 12 13

Aged
8-11

09 11 12 13

Aged
12-15

6 8
2 4

13

09 11 12 13

Aged
3-4

Aged
5-7

6 5 8

11

09 11 12 13

Aged
8-11

12 12

09 11 12 13

Aged
12-15

QP50 Does your child watch TV programmes or films in any of the following ways? (prompted response, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children who use the internet at home (340 aged 5-7 in 2009, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013,
582 aged 8-11 in 2009, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 645 aged 12-15 in 2009, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011,
553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of children aged 3-15 127 whose child watches/downloads content from UK TV
broadcasters websites were asked whether they were aware that these sites show guidance
labels for programmes which may include content unsuitable for young audiences. These
parents were also asked whether they had set a PIN or password on any UK broadcasters
websites that their child uses to watch or download TV programmes or films 128.
One third (33%) of parents of 5-15s whose child watches/ downloads content from UK TV
broadcasters websites are not aware of the guidance labels for programmes, and around
one in four (24%) have set up a PIN/ password on all (17%) or some (6%) of the websites
their child uses. As such, around one in four of the parents who are aware of the guidance
labels have set up a PIN or password to be used before viewing programmes that have a
guidance label (24% of the 67% aware of guidance labels).
Parents of 8-11s are more likely than parents of 12-15s to say that they have set up a PIN/
password on all of the websites (22% vs. 12%). There are no differences among children
aged 5-15, by gender or by household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 8-11 are less likely to be aware of guidance labels on these
programmes (62% vs.74%).

127

Figure 156 does not show data for 3-4s or 5-7s due to low base sizes.
The question wording was changed in 2011 and so we cannot show comparable findings from
previous years.

128

192

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 154: Awareness and use of PIN controls on broadcasters websites, by age:
2011- 2013
PIN/ password set up on all of the websites the child uses for watching/ downloading TV or films
PIN/ password set up on some of the websites that the child uses for watching/ downloading TV or films
PIN/ password not set up on any of the websites that the child uses for watching/ downloading TV or films
Don't know if set up
Not aware of Guidance labels on programmes

All aged 5-15

10

2011

22

2013

2011

13

33
42

12

41

2013

12

38
20%

28

13
3

26
38
32

11

2012

0%

33

39
5

27

39
5

30
12

35

17

2012

Aged 12-15

12

2011

41

17

2013

11

41

14

2012

Aged 8-11

40%

14

26

12
60%

30
80%

100%

QP51/QP52 Did you know that UK broadcasters websites like the BBC iPlayer and ITV Player show Guidance labels for programmes that may
include content that is unsuitable for young audiences, (such as violence, sex, drug use or strong language)? / Have you set a PIN or password on
the UK websites that your child uses to watch or download TV programmes or films which needs to be entered before viewing programmes that
have a Guidance label? (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child watches TV programmes or movies online / download from TV broadcasters website (388 aged 515 in 2011, 415 aged 5-15 in 2012, 453 aged 5-15 in 2013, 119 aged 8-11 in 2011, 139 aged 8-11 in 2012, 145 aged 8-11 in 2013, 200 aged 12-15
in 2011, 220 aged 12-15 in 2012, 221 aged 12-15 in 2013 ). Base for 5-7s too low for analysis in 2011-2013. ). Significance testing shows any
differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Two in three parents of 5-15s have software installed to protect against junk
email or computer viruses
An interesting comparison with those parents who have installed parental controls is the
number of parents who have software installed to protect against junk email/spam or
computer viruses. Two in three parents of children aged 5-15 (65%) say they have this
software installed (compared to 43% of parents who have parental controls installed). The
incidence does not vary across the three age groups of children (5-7, 8-11 or 12-15), nor are
there any differences by gender within age. Six in ten parents of 3-4s (63%) also have this
software installed; this does not differ from the figure for 5-7s (66%) or 5-15s overall (65%).
In 2013, as in 2012, those in AB socio-economic groups are more likely than all parents to
say they use anti-spam/ virus software (74% vs. 65%) and parents of children aged 5-15 in
DE households are less likely to have this software installed (57% vs. 65%).
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of having this software
installed for any age group of children.

193

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 155: Use of software to protect against junk email or computer viruses, by age:
2011-2013

63

2013

Aged 3-4

67

68

2011

2012

Aged 5-15

70

65

67

68

66

67

2013

2011

2012

2013

2011

Aged 5-7

2012

Aged 8-11

66

66

65

63

2013

2011

2012

2013

Aged 12-15

QP40 - Which, if any, of the following measures do you have in place? (prompted responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013, 396 aged 5-7 in 2011, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381
aged 5-7 in 2013, 496 aged 8-11 in 2011, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 529 aged 12-15 in 2011, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged
12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parental guidance about online safety

More than two in five parents say they talk to their child at least monthly about
staying safe online
Since 2011, parents of children aged 5-15 who used the internet at home have been asked:
Have you talked to your child about staying safe when they are online? Since 2012,
parents who said they talked to their child about staying safe online have been asked how
frequently they did this. In 2013, parents who have not spoken to their child were asked why
they had not spoken to their child about staying safe online. Results for these measures are
shown in Figure 156, Figure 157, Figure 158 and Figure 159.
Figure 156 shows that four in five parents of 5-15s who use the internet at home (79%) say
that they have ever spoken to their children about staying safe online. This overall incidence
is more common among parents or 8-11s (81%) and 12-15s (91%) than among parents of 57s (50%) or parents of 3-4s (27%). Responses do not vary by gender for younger children
but parents of girls aged 12-15 are more likely than parents of boys to have spoken to their
child (95% vs. 88%). In 2013 there are no differences by household socio-economic group.
Compared to 2012, parents of 12-15s are more likely to say they have spoken to their child
about staying safe online (91% vs. 86%) and this is driven by an increase among girls aged
12-15 (95% vs. 88%).

194

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 156: Parents who have spoken to their child about staying safe online, by age
and gender: 2013
% change
since 2012

Aged 3-4

27%
79%

All aged 5-15

Aged 5-7

50%
81%

Aged 8-11

91%

Aged 12-15
Boys aged 5-7

50%

Girls aged 5-7

51%

Boys aged 8-11

Girls aged 8-11
Boys aged 12-15
Girls aged 12-15

+5

82%
79%
88%
95%

+7

QP54 Have you talked to your child about staying safe when they are online? (spontaneous responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15, 187 boys
aged 5-7, 194 girls aged 5-7, 195 boys aged 8-11, 187 girls aged 8-11, 219 boys aged 12-15, 217 girls aged 12-15) significance testing shows any
differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

More than two in five parents (45%) of children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home
have spoken to their child about staying safe online at least once a month, with this being
more likely for parents of 8-11s (50%) and 12-15s (47%) than of 5-7s (30%) or 3-4s (17%).
A further three in ten parents (29%) have spoken to their child more than once, but not as
frequently as monthly.
In 2013, while there are no differences by household socio-economic group, parents of girls
aged 12-15 are more likely to have talked to their child at least monthly, compared to parents
of boys (52% vs. 42%).
Compared to 2012, there has been no change in the incidence of parents who say they have
spoken to their child at least monthly across any age group of child (Figure 157), or by
gender within age, or by household socio-economic group (Figure 158).

195

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 157: Frequency of speaking to child about staying safe online, by age: 20122013
At least monthly
All aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2012

Less often
17

Aged 12-15

29

45
15

30

29

33

2012

16

4
3

2013

50

27

20%

4
17

60%

18
6

38
40%

3
2

35

47
0%

20

48
29

2013

46

49

44

21

2012

2012

Don't know

72

44

2013

Aged 8-11

Have not talked to my child

2013

Aged 5-7

Only once

3
13

80%

QP54 - Have you talked to your child about staying safe when they are online?/ QP55 Which of these best describes how often you talk to your child
about staying safe when they are online?(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013,,424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013,
376 aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013,
Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

196

2
3
100%

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 158: Frequency of speaking to child about staying safe online, by gender and
socio-economic group: 2012-2013
At least monthly
Boys aged 5-7

Girls aged 8-11

15
50

2012

55
50

AB

31

0%

20%

12

28
60%

2
2
3

23

3
28

40%

21
17

7
27

21

4
32

2
4

23

27

43

2013

14
11
4

29
29

46
47

2012

2
2

4
6
4

46

2013

DE

17
19

37

42

2012

16

6
31

43
44

2012

38

41

2013

C2

26

52

2013

C1

39

2013
2012

17

3
24

50

2012

4
6

27

39
42

2013

Girls aged 12-15

44
48
33

2013

2012

2
4

3
3

42

2012

Don't know

49
48

5
2
16

29

2013

Boys aged 12-15

Have not talked to my child

13
16

36

2012
2013

Boys aged 8-11

Only once

31
30

2012
2013

Girls aged 5-7

Less often

21
5

4
18

21
80%

4
100%

QP54 - Have you talked to your child about staying safe when they are online?/ QP55 Which of these best describes how often you talk to your child
about staying safe when they are online?(prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (1424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 376 aged 5-7 in 2012,
381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013, 191 boys aged 5-7 in 2012,
187 boys aged 5-7 in 2013, 185 girls aged 5-7 in 2012, 194 girls aged 5-7 in 2013, 248 boys aged 8-11 in 2012, 235 boys aged 8-11 in 2013, 247
girls aged 8-11 in 2012, 262 girls aged 8-11 in 2013, 280 boys aged 12-15 in 2012, 267 boys aged 12-15 in 2013, 273 girls aged 12-15 in 2012, 281
girls aged 12-15 in 2013, 289 AB in 2012, 309 AB in 2013, 376 C1 in 2012, 413 C1 in 2013, 311 C2 in 2012, 289 C2 in 2013, 448 DE in 2012, 415
DE in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Parents of 3-15s 129 who have never spoken to their child about staying safe online were
asked why this was, and the results are shown in the table below. Nine in ten parents of 3-4s
(90%) and eight in ten parents of 5-7s (80%) say it is because their child is too young for this
kind of conversation. Around one in four parents of 3-4s (26%) and 5-7s (22%) say it is
because their child is always supervised when online.

129

Low base sizes prevent analysis among parents of 8-11s and 12-15.

197

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 159: Reasons for not having spoken to child about staying safe online, by age:
2013
Aged 3-4

Aged 5-7

Aged 5-15

Child too young for this kind of conversation

90%

80%

57%

Child is always supervised when online

26%

22%

23%

Child has learnt about this at school

1%

4%

18%

Have not got round to it

1%

4%

7%

Other parent/ adult has discussed this with child

1%

2%

4%

Dont know enough about this to talk about it with my

child

0%

1%

3%

QP56 And can you tell me why that is? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child goes online at home who have not talked to their child about staying safe online (154 aged 3-4, 326
aged 5-15, 194 aged 5-7) *** Bases for 8-11 and 12-15 are too low
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

The majority of parents agree that they know enough to help their child to stay
safe online
Since 2012, parents of children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home were asked the
extent to which they agreed that: I feel I know enough to help my child to stay safe when
they are online. Figure 160 shows that close to half of parents of 5-15s (48%) agree
strongly with this statement, with parents of 5-7s (61%) more likely to agree strongly than
parents of 8-11s (50%) and parents of 8-11s being more likely to agree strongly than parents
of 12-15s (41%). Seven in ten parents of 3-4s who go online at home agree strongly with this
statement (69%) and this measure does not differ from parents of 5-7s (61%).
Around one in eight (12%) parents of 5-15s disagree (either strongly or slightly) that they
know enough to keep their child safe online.
In 2013, there are no differences in the extent of agreement by gender within age. Parents of
5-15s who go online at home in the AB socio-economic group are more likely to agree
strongly (61% vs. 48%) while those in DE households are less likely (41% vs. 48%).
Compared to 2012, parents of 8-11s are less likely to agree strongly (50% vs. 57%) with this
statement, while parents of 5-7s are less likely to disagree (5% vs. 11%), as are parents of
12-15s (14% vs. 20%).

198

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 160: Parents who feel they know enough about how to help their child to stay
safe online, by age: 2012-2013
Agree strongly
All aged 3-4

2013

All aged 5-15

2012

Agree slightly
69

Aged 8-11

31
62

23

2013

61

26

57

2012

33

41

2013
0%

20%

40%

60%

7
9

28

11
8

30

42

12
4

27

50

14

2012

2012

27

48

2013

Aged 12-15

19

52

2013

Aged 5-7

Disagree

Neither/ DK

13
20

12

14

80%

100%

QP49D Please tell me the extent to which you agree or disagree with these statements in relation to your child - I feel I know enough to help my child
to stay safe when they are online (prompted responses, single coded)
Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child uses the internet at home (219 aged 3-4 in 2013,,424 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1426 aged 5-15 in 2013, 376
aged 5-7 in 2012, 381 aged 5-7 in 2013, 495 aged 8-11 in 2012, 497 aged 8-11 in 2013, 553 aged 12-15 in 2012, 548 aged 12-15 in 2013) - Significance
testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

In 2013, parents of children who use the internet at home or elsewhere were asked whether
they have ever looked for, or received, information or advice about how to help their child
stay safe online. They were prompted with 14 possible sources, with the option of
nominating other sources.
Figure 161 and Figure 162 show the responses given by parents. 130
A majority of parents of children aged 5-15 (53%) have looked for or received
information/advice from any source, and this is more likely for parents of 8-11s (56%) than
for parents of 5-7s (47%) or 3-4s (31%). Parents of 12-15s (53%) are as likely as parents of
8-11s (56%) to have looked for /received any information.
Among 5-15s, the most popular source of information is the childs school (36% for 5-7s,
40% for 8-11s and 38% for 12-15s). Information from family/ friends is the next most
common source of information named by a sizeable minority of parents (19% of all parents
of 5-15s, rising to 23% among parents of 8-11s). Less than one in ten parents of 5-15s have
looked for or received information from the media (TV/ radio/ newspapers/ magazines) (7%)
or from ISPs (6%). No other sources, (including special interest groups such as CEOP/

130

Where more than 1% of parents gave that response.

199

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

GSO/UKCCIS) were used by more than one in 20 parents 131. Four per cent of parents of 515s say they have received information from their child.
Figure 162 also shows that sources other than family, friends or the child themselves
account for the majority of information received about how to help their child stay safe online
- with these sources mostly consisting of information provided by the childs school.
Results do not vary by the gender of the child among 5-15s.
Parents of 5-15s who go online in AB households are more likely than all parents to say they
have looked for or received information from any source (63% vs. 53%), while DE parents
are less likely (41% vs. 53%). There are three specific sources that AB households are more
likely to have looked for or received information from: the childs school (48% vs. 38%), from
the media (14% vs. 7%) and from Get Safe Online/ GSO (3% vs. 1%). Parents in DE
households are less likely to have looked for/ received information from the childs school
(29% vs. 38%).
Figure 161: Parents stating they have looked for or received any information or advice
about how to help their child to stay safe online, by age: 2013
ANY information
looked for/
received

From childs
school

From family/
friends

From ISPs

From TV, radio,

newspapers,
magazines

From your
child
themselves

56

53

53

47
38 36 40 38
31
23

19
14

10

19

14
7
2

9
4

6
0

6
1

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged
3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4 5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

QP58 Have you looked for or received information or advice about how to help your child to stay safe when they are online, from any of these sources
or in any other way? (prompted responses, multi-coded) only responses shown where>1% of all parents have given that answer
Base: Children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home (219 aged 3-4, 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

131

2% of parents of 5-15s whose child goes online at home have sourced/ received information from
CEOP, as have 1% of parents from GSO and 1% of parents from UKCCIS.

200

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 162: Parents stating they have looked for or received any information or advice
about how to help their child to stay safe online, by age: 2013

Other websites
with safety
information

Manufacturers/
retailers selling
product

From government
or local authority
sources

CEOP/ Child
Exploitation and
Online Protection
Centre

Any source other

than family/
friends/ child

46

49
42

45

26

5
Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

3
Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15 3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

Aged
3-4

Aged Aged Aged Aged

5-15 5-7 8-11 12-15

QP58 Have you looked for or received information or advice about how to help your child to stay safe when they are online, from any of these sources
or in any other way? (prompted responses, multi-coded) only responses shown where>1% of all parents have given that answer
Base: Children aged 5-15 who use the internet at home ( 219 aged 3-4 1426 aged 5-15, 381 aged 5-7, 497 aged 8-11, 548 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Nine in ten children aged 8-15 say they have been given information about
staying safe online
Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere were asked whether they had
ever been given any information or advice about staying safe online, shown in Figure 163
and Figure 164. Those who said they had been given any information/ advice were asked
who had given them the advice. Around nine in ten children aged 8-11 (88%) or 12-15 (94%)
recall receiving such advice.
For both age groups this information is most likely to be recalled as being from a teacher,
(67% for 8-11s and 79% for 12-15s). More than six in ten in each age group recall receiving
this information from a parent 132 (61% for 8-11s, 69% for 12-15s) and around one in ten from
other family members (10% for 8-11s and 11% for 12-15s). Other sources of this information
are nominated by less than one in ten children in either age group, with 12-15s more likely
than 8-11s to recall receiving information or advice from other websites (4% vs. 1%).
Seven per cent of 8-15s say they have not been given any information or advice, and this is
more likely for 8-11s than 12-15s (9% vs. 5%).
While girls aged 12-15 are no more likely than boys to recall receiving any information or
advice overall (95% for girls vs. 92% for boys), they are more likely to recall receiving advice
from a parent (75% vs. 63%). There are no differences by gender for 8-11s.

132

These incidences are lower than those reported at Figure 156 and Figure 157. This could be
attributable to the different way in which the question was asked of parents (through a prompted list of
responses) and of children (through unprompted/ spontaneous responses). One in four children aged
8-15 who go online at home whose parents say they have ever talked to them about staying safe
online, do not name their parent as a source of advice (27%).

201

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Compared to 2012, children aged 12-15 are more likely to say they have been given
information or advice from a teacher (79% vs. 72%). The overall incidence of receiving any
information/ advice from any source is unchanged for both 8-11s and 12-15s.
Figure 163: Children stating they have been given any information or advice about
staying safe online, among 8-15s: 2011 - 2013

ANY
information
received

94

From
parent

From
teacher

From other
family
member

From other
websites

Not been
given any
information/
advice

From TV /
radio
programmes

90 91
75
69

73
66 64 65

7
11

From
friends

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

10

13

11

12

6
13

11

12

13

11

12

13

11

12

13

QC35 Have you ever been given any information or advice about how to stay safe when you are online? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (1113 aged 8-15 in 2011, 1107 aged 8-15 in 2012, 1119 aged 8-15 in 2013) Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

Figure 164: Children stating they have been given any information or advice about
staying safe online, by age: 2011 - 2013

From other
family
member

From TV /
radio
programmes

Not been
given any
information/
advice

4
3
4
2
1
2

2
3
2

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13 11 12 13

11 12 13

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
12-15

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

Aged
8-11

QC35 Have you ever been given any information or advice about how to stay safe when you are online? (spontaneous responses, multi-coded)
Base: Children aged 8-15 who use the internet at home or elsewhere (563 aged 8-11 in 2011, 539 aged 8-11 in 2012, 554 aged 8-11 in 2013, 550 aged
12-15 1in 2011, 568 aged 12-15 in 2012, 565aged 12-15 in 2013). Significance testing shows any difference between 2012 and 2013.
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

202

1
3
1

10
9

8
9
7

3
4
5

8
9
11

10
Aged
8-11

From other
websites

67
63
69
6
7

11 12 13

From
friends

79
66
64
61

72

72
67
67

78

92
88
88

From
parent

From
teacher

96
91
94

ANY
information
received

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Overview of types of parental mediation for the internet

Three in five parents use any type of technical online control
Parents can rely on several types of mediation to help their child to stay safe online. Figure
165 below summarises each of the technical methods of mediation that have been covered
in this section, based on all parents of 5-15s whose child ever uses a PC/ laptop/netbook to
go online at home 133. This is followed by Figure 166 which summarises this information by
the age of the child.
Figure 165 shows that as previously reported, less than half have any of the individual
technical online controls in place. Across all of the technical methods of mediation, three in
five (62%) parents of children aged 5-15 who go online through a PC/ laptop or netbook
have at least one type in place.
Safe search settings on search engine websites are more likely to be in place for children
aged 8-11 (49%) than for 3-4s (37%), 5-7s (40%) or 12-15s (40%). Controls on the PC
laptop or netbook are more likely among 5-7s (45%) and 8-11s (51%) than among 12-15s
(35%). Both 8-11s (20%) and 12-15s (21%) are more likely than 3-4s (7%) and 5-7s (13%)
to have the YouTube safety mode enabled. There are no variations by age either in the
incidences for software to limit the time spent online, or for PIN/ passwords set on
broadcasters websites. At an overall level, households with 8-11s (68%) are more likely
than those with 3-4s (56%), 5-7s (61%) or 12-15s (56%) to have at least one of these
measures in place.
Figure 165: Types of technical methods of mediation in place in households where a
child aged 5-15 uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online: 2012-2013
Safe search
settings on
search engine
websites

Parental controls
installed on the
PC/ laptop/
netbook the child
uses at home

YouTube safety
mode enabled

Software to limit
time spent
online

PIN/ Password
set on
broadcasters
websites

ANY OF THESE

47

44

46

2013

2012

62

2012

2013

43

15

2012

62

2013

2012

19

2013

10

11

2012

2013

2012

2013

Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child ever uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home (1405 in 2012, 1354 in 2013) -Significance
testing shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

133

In some instances the data have been re-based to reflect the incidence among all children who use
a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online. This explains why the proportion of parents with YouTube safety
mode enabled is 19% rather than the 31% reported earlier, when it was based on all those who
actually visit the YouTube website. This also applies to the proportion with a PIN/ password set on
broadcasters websites (reported earlier as 24%, when based on those who download content from
broadcasters websites).

203

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 166: Types of technical methods of mediation in place in households where a

child uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online, by age: 2012- 2013
Parental controls
installed on PC/
laptop/ netbook
child mostly uses
at home

Safe search
settings on
search engine
websites

PIN/
Password set
on
broadcasters
websites

Software to
limit the time
spent online

YouTube safety
mode enabled

Any of these

64
61

6768

56

40
35

Aged Aged
3-4
5-7

Aged Aged Aged Aged

8-11 12-15 3-4
5-7

Aged Aged Aged Aged

8-11 12-15 3-4
5-7

Aged Aged Aged Aged

8-11 12-15 3-4
5-7

Aged Aged Aged Aged

8-11 12-15 3-4
5-7

Aged Aged Aged Aged

8-11 12-15 3-4
5-7

2012
2013

8 9

2012
2013

6 8

2012
2013

2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

12 12
10

2012
2013

2013

9 10

2012
2013

2012
2013

13
10

2012
2013

2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2012
2013

2013

21
20
17
16

2013

4040 40

2012
2013

40

5656

5151
49
45

2012
2013

37

52
49

2012
2013

48

Aged Aged
8-11 12-15

Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child ever uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home (1405 aged 5-15 in 2012, 1354 aged 5-15 in 2013, 371
aged 5-7 in 2012, 362 aged 5-7 in 2013, 493 aged 8-11 in 2012, 471 aged 8-11 in 2013, 541 aged 12-15 in 2012, 521 aged 12-15 in 2013). significance testing
shows any differences between 2012 and 2013
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

One in five parents of 5-15s use technical mediation measures, and have rules
relating to parental mediation, and talk to their child about staying safe online
at least monthly
Figure 167 shows the relationship between the three types of mediation that parents may
choose to use at home with regard to their childs use of the internet (through a PC/
laptop/netbook), and shows the interplay of supportive guidance (talking to their child about
staying safe online at least monthly), mediation through technical tools 134 and rules or
restrictions relating specifically to parental supervision 135.
One in five (20%) parents of 5-15s use all three of these types of mediation; they use
technical mediation, have rules relating to parental supervision, and have talked to their child
at least monthly about staying safe online. This is more likely among parents of 8-11s (25%)
than parents of 3-4s (8%), 5-7s (14%) or 12-15s (19%). There has been no change in this
incidence, compared to 2012, for 5-7s, 8-11s or 12-15s, nor at an overall level (among all 515s).
Eighty-five per cent of parents of 5-15s whose child ever goes online at home through a PC/
laptop or netbook use at least one of these approaches, (20% use all three, 35% use two,
30% use only one).

134

Use at least one of the five types of technical mediation tools shown in Figure 165 Safe search
settings, parental controls, YouTube safety mode, software to limit the time spent online or PIN/
passwords set up on broadcasters websites.
135
These relate to the two specific online rules: Regularly check what they are doing online and can
only use when supervised and not on their own, as shown in Figure 137.

204

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

In contrast, around one in seven parents of 5-15s (15%) do not use any of these three
elements; this is higher for 12-15s (22%) than for 5-7s (11%) and 8-11s (9%). Close to one
in five parents of 3-4s (18%) do not use any of the three strategies, and this is higher than
for 5-7s (11%) and 8-11s (9%).
A similar proportion (17%) have rules relating to parental supervision and use technical
mediation, but do not talk to their child at least monthly about staying safe online, with this
being more likely for 5-7s (22%) than for 12-15s (13%). One in five parents of 3-4s (19%)
also use this approach.
One in 20 parents of 5-15s (6%) only talk to their child at least monthly about staying safe
online; higher for 12-15s (10%) than for 3-4s (2%) 5-7s (2%) or 8-11s (5%). Only having
rules relating to parental supervision is higher for 3-4s (22%) and 5-7s (20%) than for 8-11s
(11%) or 12-15s (6%). Only relying on technical mediation is more likely for 3-4s (23%) and
5-7s (17%) than for 12-15s (11%).
In 2013, there are no differences by gender within age or by household socio-economic
group.
It is important to note that while 15% of parents fall into the category of none of these in
Figure 167 below, around six in ten of these (9%) do talk to their child about staying safe
online, but they do so less frequently than monthly. Therefore, the remaining 6% of parents
have never spoken to their child about staying safe online, nor have rules about parental
supervision, nor have technical mediation in place. This incidence does not vary by age,
gender or by household socio-economic group.
Figure 167: Combinations of online mediation strategies used by parents of 5-15s
where a child uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home, by age: 2013
100%

8
2
80%

20

14
25

19

6
6

22

Rules relating to parental

supervision & technical
mediation not talk monthly

13

Technical mediation & talk

monthly not rules relating to
parental supervision

18
23

2
22

8
12
14

12

20

11

10

Talk monthly only

6
Rules relating to parental
supervision only

11
18

Technical mediation only

13

11

20%

17

Rules relating to parental

supervision & talk monthly not
technical mediation

13

17

60%

40%

19

Rules relating to parental

supervision & technical
mediation & talk monthly

22
15

11

Aged 5-7

Aged 8-11

None of these

0%

Aged 3-4

All aged 5-15

Aged 12-15

Base: Parents of children aged 5-15 whose child ever uses a PC/ laptop/ netbook to go online at home (185 aged 3-4, 1354 aged 5-15, 362 aged 5-7, 471
aged 8-11, 521 aged 12-15)
Source: Ofcom research, fieldwork carried out by Saville Rossiter-Base in April to June 2013

205

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Children and Parents: Media

Use and Attitudes: annex 1
Childrens TV viewing and websites visited

Research Document
Publication date:

206

3 October 2013

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

1 Childrens TV viewing: BARB analysis

Note: On 1 January 2010 the new BARB measurement panel of 5,100 homes went live.
Any comparison of trend data using both the old and new panels should therefore be made
with caution.
The analysis presented is based on BARB data extracted from the Kantar Media InfoSys+
system. This is a new system which was introduced in 2012 and as a result there may be
some minor variations to previously presented data.

1.1 Overall viewing trends

Time spent viewing
Figure A1.1 shows that in 2012 children aged 4-15 watched an average of 16 hours 42
minutes of television per week, down by 23 minutes on 17 hours 5 minutes per week in
2011, but up on all years between 2007 to 2009. Younger children aged 4-9 watched slightly
more, at 16 hours 53 minutes per week, and older children aged 10-15 slightly less at 16
hours 31 minutes.

Live broadcasts vs. time-shifting

Figure A1.2 shows that the vast majority of time spent viewing among all children 4-15 in
2012 was to live broadcasts (89%) with 12% of their total viewing time-shifted 136. Since 2007
there has been a small, but progressive decline in viewing to live television (9% decline). Yet
despite three quarters of the child population having access to digital video recorders in their
home (72% in 2012 vs. 14% in 2007), time-shifted viewing has only increased by 10% over
the last five years. Older children (10-15) time-shift a higher proportion of their viewing (12%)
compared to younger children aged 4-9 (10%). 137

When are children viewing?

The distribution of viewing throughout the day is in line with previous years, with the volume
of all child viewers peaking in the early morning between 6am and 9am, and picking up
again in the late afternoon from 3pm.
The largest numbers of child viewers in 2012 are found between 7pm and 9pm, with viewing
peaking at 2.1 million, or 25% of all children, between 7.30pm and 8pm.
In terms of post-watershed viewing, there remain a significant proportion of children
watching television between 9pm and midnight. In 2007 this figure was 12%; in 2011 it had
increased to 14%, and the latest 2012 figures show that it has dipped slightly at 13%.
Among 4-9 year olds the figure was 8% in 2007 and 9% in 2011; in 2012 it returned to 2007
levels, at 8%. Among the 10-15 age group it increased from 15% in 2007 to 18% in 2011
and declined marginally in 2012 to 17%.

136

Values may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

The time-shifted data for 2011 reported in the Annex of the 2012 Children and Parents: Media Use
and Attitudes report, uses a base of all children (4-15) with a DVR. The data reported in the Annex of
the 2013 Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report uses a base of all children (4-15).
137

207

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

What types of programming are children watching?

Overall, 74% of childrens viewing is spent in commercial airtime (both children's and adults),
up two percentage points on 2011. While this proportion hasnt changed significantly over
the past six years, the split between terrestrial and non-terrestrial commercial airtime has
changed. As illustrated in Figure A1.3, there has been a growth in the proportion of viewing
attributed to commercial multi-channel airtime; from 48% in 2007 to 56% in 2012, and a
gradual decrease attributed to terrestrial commercial channels; from 24% in 2007 to 18% in
2012.
Sixty-three per cent of total childrens viewing took place in adult airtime in 2012; this figure
varies significantly by age (Figure A1.5). It increases to 77% among 10-15 year olds and
decreases to 53% among 4-9 year olds. Thirty-seven per cent of total viewing takes place in
childrens airtime, with the majority (26%) attributed to commercial childrens airtime and
11% attributed to non-commercial children's airtime.
Drilling down into total viewing in total childrens airtime, the majority (68%) of viewing is in
commercial childrens airtime, an increase of three percentage points since 2011 (65%)
(Figure A1.4). Figure A1.4 shows that the majority of viewing in commercial childrens airtime
is attributed to dedicated commercial multi-channel childrens channels (65% in 2012
compared to 62% in 2011). Childrens viewing to the BBC non-terrestrial channels
decreased from 31% in 2011 to 28% in 2012.
Figure A1.8 looks at the top-performing programmes among all children in 2012; sports and
entertainment feature in the most-viewed genres. Thirteen of the top programmes were on
BBC One, and with the exception of special events such as the Olympics, the greatest
volume of children viewers are in the pre-9pm slots, although many programmes span 9pm.
Younger children, aged 4-9, watch a more varied range of genres, compared to all children
(Figure A1.9). As with children aged 4-15, sports and entertainment programming attract the
largest volume of 4-9 year old viewers, but the childrens genre featured in two of the top five
most-watched programmes for this age group in 2012.
Sports and entertainment programmes attracted the highest volume of 10-15 year old
viewers in 2012, with each genre accounting for eight programmes in the top 20
programmes. Drama series and soaps accounted for three of the remaining four top 20
programmes, and one children's programme completes the list. (Figure A1.10)

Who are children watching with?

Across television viewing as a whole, 28% of viewing among all children is done alone
(Figure A1.6). This increases to 33% among 10-15 year olds. More than a fifth (21%) of all
children are watching television between 9pm and 10pm alone (Figure A1.7).

208

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.1: Average hours of weekly viewing, by age

Average weekly viewing (Hrs, Mins)
20
19

18.2

18
17.34

17

16.56
16.06
16.1

16
15.37
15.11

15

16.31

Children

17.34
17.09

16.88
16.7
16.51

16.52
16.31

16.02
15.37

Children 4-9

15.28

14

Children 10-15

13
12
11

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Source: BARB, 2007-2012

Figure A1.2: Live versus time-shifted TV viewing, all children (4-15)

Proportion of viewing (%)

14%

100%

1%

28%

42%

52%

66%

72%

2%
2%

3%
3%

4%
4%

5%
5%

6%
6%

90%

Children DVR owners as % of all children

Viewed 2-7 days

after broadcast

80%
70%
60%
50%

98%

96%

94%

93%

40%

90%

89%

Viewed on same
day

30%

Live

20%
10%
0%

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Source: BARB, 2007-2012, all children 4-15

209

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.3: Childrens total weekly viewing, by channel type

Proportion of weekly viewing (%)
15.5

15.6

16.2

16.0

17.6

Total average weekly

hours of viewing by child

17.1

100%

80%

Commercial
multichannel (e.g. Sky
One, Disney)

48%

52%

52%

54%

53%

56%
BBC digital (e.g
CBBC, CBeebies,
BBC3)

60%
9%

10%

40%
24%

12%

10%

22%

13%

13%

21%

20%

19%

18%

20%
20%

17%

15%

15%

14%

14%

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

ITV, Channel 4,
Channel 5

BBC One, BBC Two

0%

Source: BARB, 2007-2012, all children 4-15

Figure A1.4: Childrens weekly viewing of childrens airtime, by channel type

Proportion of weekly viewing (%)
4.6

5.0

5.3

5.3

5.6

Total average weekly hours of

viewing by child

5.8

100%
Commercial
multichannel (e.g.
Boomerang ,
Disney, CiTV)

80%
61%

64%

66%

62%

62%

65%
BBC digital (CBBC,
CBeebies)

60%

40%
23%

ITV, Channel 4,
Channel 5*

24%

25%

30%

31%

28%

12%

4%
8%

4%
6%

3%
5%

3%
4%

3%
4%

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

20%
5%
0%

Source: BARB, 2007-2012, all children 4-15

210

BBC One, BBC Two

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.5: Demographic differences

Weekly Viewing Summary

Children 4-9

10-15

Total hours of viewing

16.7

16.9

16.5

Total hours of viewing in comm. airtime

12.2

11.6

12.1

Total hours of viewing in adult airtime

10.6

8.9

13.1

Total hours of viewing in comm. adult airtime 8.0

6.7

9.9

Total hours of viewing in childrens airtime

6.1

8.0

3.4

Total hours of viewing in comm. childrens

air.

4.3

5.4

2.4

% total time spent in commercial airtime

73%

69%

72%

% total time spent in adult airtime

63%

53%

77%

% total time spent in comm. adult air.

48%

40%

58%

% total time spent in childrens airtime

37%

47%

20%

% total time spent in comm. childrens

airtime.

26%

32%

14%

Source: BARB, 2012

Figure A1.6: Mutual viewing across total TV

Network, 2012, all children and adults

)
Proportion of viewing based on average 000s

100%
90%
80%
70%

59%

62%

56%

60%

Child+Adult

50%
40%
30%

Child+Child
13%

10%
15%

20%
10%

28%

24%

Children 4-15

Children 4-9

Child only

33%

0%
Children 10-15

Source: BARB, 2012

211

212
29:00 - 30:00

28:00 - 29:00

27:00 - 28:00

26:00 - 27:00

25:00 - 26:00

24:00 - 25:00

23:00 - 24:00

22:00 - 23:00

21:00 - 22:00

20:00 - 21:00

19:00 - 20:00

18:00 - 19:00

17:00 - 18:00

16:00 - 17:00

15:00 - 16:00

14:00 - 15:00

13:00 - 14:00

12:00 - 13:00

11:00 - 12:00

10:00 - 11:00

15%

53%

68%

61%

56%

53%

56%

58%

55%

52%

50%

48%

45%

42%

40%

40%

37%

10%

Network, 2012 Total TV - all children and

d100%
l
2,500

1,500

1,000

0%
500
0

Source: BARB, 2012

Figure A1.8: Top 20 programmes in 2012 among all children aged 4-15

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

1.7

1.8

1.9

1.10

1.11

1.12

1.13

Source: BARB, 2012. Based on highest occurring programme episode (000s)

Average Audience (000s), Children

39%

47%

50%

54%

59%

63%

68%

72%

2,000

10%

9%

9%

9%

8%

8%

51%

44%

41%

38%

33%

7%

21% 8%

29%

16%

14%

14%

19% 9%

25%

14%

15%

13%

21% 11%

26%

29%

31%

30%

29%

31%

33%

16%
15%

36%

17%

19%

72%

11%
17%

34%

38%

39%

40%

09:00 - 10:00

08:00 - 09:00

49%

20%
44%

60%

07:00 - 08:00

80%

06:00 - 07:00

Proportion of children's viewing, based

on average 000s

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.7: Mutual viewing across the day all TV viewing

Child+Adult

Child+Child

Solus child

Child Audience,
000s

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.9: Top ten programmes in 2012 among all children aged 4-9

Source: BARB, 2012. Based on highest occurring programme episode (000s)

213

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure A1.10: Top ten programmes in 2012 among all children aged 10-15

Source: BARB, 2012. Based on highest occurring programme episode (000s)

Glossary
Adult airtime This consists of all the main terrestrial channels excluding the slots when
childrens programmes are shown, combined with all digital channels except for the
dedicated childrens channels.
Childrens airtime - This consists of the childrens programme slots on the main terrestrial
channels and the dedicated childrens channels on the digital platform
DVRs digital video recorders
Time-shifted viewing This is defined in BARB analysis as viewing of programmes
recorded and subsequently played back within seven days, as well as viewing after pausing
or rewinding live TV. It also includes viewing to catch up TV services viewed through a TV
set, where the content has been broadcast in the previous seven days.

214

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

2 Websites visited by children aged 6-14

2.1

Introduction
This annex provides tables of the top 50 web entities visited by children aged 6-16
during the months of May 2011, 2012 and 2013, as measured by comScore. Figures
1 and 2 also show the frequency of instant messaging (IM) for 13-17 year olds and
the most popular brands used by this age group for IM.
We have used the comScore Media Metrix service (MMX) to measure internet use
on PCs/laptops. Data including mobile and tablet use is not available for analysis of
this age-group, and so cannot be included.

2.2

Methodology
comScores Unified Digital Measurement methodology combines panel and census
measurement techniques in its approach to digital audience measurement. This
method uses the comScore global measurement panel to determine audience reach
and demographics. In addition to directly measured census-level activity at
publishers digital content assets (i.e. websites, videos, apps), which accurately
accounts for total media consumption, these data sets are unified into a more
accurate view of audiences and their activity in a manner that is not affected by
variables such as cookie deletion, blocking, and rejection.
The Top 50 websites tables consist of the fifty most popular Media Title web entities
in the UK for the specified target audience. The tables also include Properties which
do not specify any subsidiary Media Titles. Ofcom considered that this unique
approach best reflected internet users consumption of online content without overaggregating websites into their parent entities, nor duplicating websites which host
several Channels or Sub-channels of content.
A Media Title is an editorially and brand consistent collection of content in the digital
landscape that provides the marketplace with a view of online user behaviour. This
may represent a domain, a group of domains, online service or computer application.
In contrast, a Property is the parent entity and can represent a full domain (i.e.
bbc.co.uk), pages (e.g. bbc.co.uk /sport), applications or online services under
common ownership or majority ownership for a single legal entity.
The tables are ranked by unique audience and active reach. Unique audience is
defined as the total number of unique persons who visited a website or used an
application at least once in a given month. Persons visiting the same website more
than one time in the month are therefore counted only once in this measure. The
active audience is the total number of people who visited any website or used any
application at least once in a given month. The active reach of a website is therefore
the proportion of the unique audience that visit that website at least once during the
month.
Please note: all rankings included in this report are based on Ofcoms ranking
approach as outlined above. While all data are based on reportable entities in
comScore MMX, Ofcoms unique treatment of the various media entities means that
the rankings will not directly align with comScores own web property or media entity
rankings.

215

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Additional web entity definitions

* Not all visitors to a webpage of this domain are attributed to this entity. The domain
contains content belonging to another entity as such any visitors to this content are
attributed to the other entity.
Property with no child Media Titles.
Where an entity is marked as an app, this is a computer program that runs on a
laptop or desktop computer that connects to the internet. Unfortunately, time spent is
not available for apps.
For more information on the data methodology and measurement contained in this
annex, please visit www.comscore.com

216

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Table 1: May 2013, Top 50 web entities accessed by children aged 6-14
No.
Web entity
Unique Audience
Active Reach %
1
Google
3,435
63.1
2
YOUTUBE.COM*
2,163
39.8
3
BBC
1,835
33.7
4
FACEBOOK.COM
1,483
27.3
5
Yahoo!
1,119
20.6
6
Disney Entertainment
933
17.1
7
WIKIPEDIA.ORG*
921
16.9
8
Windows Live
888
16.3
9
Amazon
872
16.0
10
MSN
858
15.8

Minutes per visitor

40.1
243.4
36.5
196.8
22.9
14.1
10.1
6.2
14.8
6.9

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

eBay Sites
VEVO @ YouTube
ASK.COM Sites
Microsoft
Nickelodeon Kids And Family
ANSWERS.COM
uTorrent (App)
Blogger
iTunes Software (App)
Outlook (Outlook.com)

792
758
621
619
609
602
556
554
534
532

14.6
13.9
11.4
11.4
11.2
11.1
10.2
10.2
9.8
9.8

39.3
17.6
2.8
11.6
22.6
2.1

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Bing
MTV Music Group
Steam (App)
Apple.com Worldwide Sites
BBC IPlayer
BBC Other
TWITTER.COM
COOLMATH-GAMES.COM
TUMBLR.COM*
FreeRideGames

529
509
501
488
483
476
439
433
407
406

9.7
9.4
9.2
9.0
8.9
8.8
8.1
8.0
7.5
7.5

5.1
6.9

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

ADOBE.COM
TBS Entertainment Digital
Glam Entertainment
BINWEEVILS.COM
THEGUARDIAN.COM
WORDPRESS.COM*
IMDb
SNAP.DO
Spotify (App)
INSTAGRAM.COM

379
360
350
338
316
291
281
277
272
265

7.0
6.6
6.4
6.2
5.8
5.4
5.2
5.1
5.0
4.9

3.8
29.1
20.0
18.4
8.3
2.8
4.8
3.9

41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

BABYLON.COM
STEAMPOWERED.COM
DELTA-SEARCH.COM
VIRGINMEDIA.COM*
Sky Portal
TELEGRAPH.CO.UK
TALKTALK.CO.UK
Argos
Skype
eHow

264
264
259
256
253
248
246
240
223
219

4.9
4.8
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.6
4.5
4.4
4.1
4.0

4.6
22.5
3.4
7.0
12.3
8.4
6.2
11.0
39.4
2.1

3.8
29.8

6.5
17.0
9.3
31.6
11.3
86.7
0.3

12.3

Source: comScore MMX, May 2013, home and work panel, children aged 6-14

217

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Table 2: May 2012, Top 50 web entities accessed by children aged 6-14
No. Web entity
Unique Audience
Active Reach %
1
Google
3,928
75.6
2
YOUTUBE.COM*
2,231
42.9
3
BBC
2,089
40.2
4
FACEBOOK.COM
2,082
40.1
5
MSN
1,471
28.3
6
Yahoo!
1,464
28.2
7
Windows Live
1,273
24.5
8
WIKIPEDIA.ORG*
1,196
23.0
9
VEVO @ YouTube
1,096
21.1
10
eBay Sites
1,051
20.2
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Amazon
Blogger
WikiAnswers Sites
MTV Music Group
iTunes Software (App)
ASK.COM Sites
Apple.com Worldwide Sites
TWITTER.COM
Glam Entertainment
BBC IPlayer

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Minutes per visitor

44.6
244.9
37.9
295.0
5.8
17.9
77.5
13.6
18.1
40.7

1,012
928
820
814
789
779
731
723
694
680

19.5
17.9
15.8
15.7
15.2
15.0
14.1
13.9
13.4
13.1

11.4
4.8
3.7
7.5

Nickelodeon Kids And Family

Microsoft
WORDPRESS.COM*
uTorrent (App)
Bing
About
SEARCH-RESULTS.COM
BBC Other
TUMBLR.COM*
Sky Portal

672
666
654
567
557
519
453
451
443
439

12.9
12.8
12.6
10.9
10.7
10.0
8.7
8.7
8.5
8.4

36.2
21.1
5.8
3.8
2.8
3.5
3.5
115.8
23.5

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

eHow
BINWEEVILS.COM
VIRGINMEDIA.COM*
IMDb
CBS Interactive Music Group
ADOBE.COM
Tend: Glam Media
THEGUARDIAN.COM
ITV
Argos

431
429
388
380
366
364
346
335
332
318

8.3
8.3
7.5
7.3
7.0
7.0
6.7
6.4
6.4
6.1

4.0
36.6
11.2
6.7
7.2
3.1
3.3
4.3
22.3
13.4

41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

BBC Entertainment
Spotify (App)
TBS Entertainment Digital
CHANNEL4.COM
HPMG News
TELEGRAPH.CO.UK
TESCO.COM*
FANPOP.COM
CNET
Wikia Entertainment

301
300
287
268
265
242
240
239
227
217

5.8
5.8
5.5
5.2
5.1
4.7
4.6
4.6
4.4
4.2

5.2

Source: comScore MMX, May 2012, home and work panel, children aged 6-14

218

2.1
7.6
35.7
31.6
17.3

32.6
13.2
7.6
9.4
5.8
3.7
3.1
25.8

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Table 3: May 2011, Top 50 web entities accessed by children aged 6-14
No. Web entity
Unique Audience Active Reach %
1
Google
4,014
78.4
2
BBC
2,285
44.6
3
FACEBOOK.COM
2,194
42.9
4
MSN
2,111
41.2
5
YOUTUBE.COM*
2,099
41.0
6
Windows Live
2,050
40.0
7
Yahoo!
1,905
37.2
8
WIKIPEDIA.ORG*
1,177
23.0
9
VEVO @ YouTube
1,136
22.2
10
eBay Sites
1,106
21.6
11
WikiAnswers Sites
999
19.5
12
Amazon
979
19.1
13
MTV Music Group
924
18.0
14
Blogger
922
18.0
15
Bing
902
17.6
16
iTunes Software (App)
902
17.6
17
Glam Entertainment
881
17.2
18
Microsoft
870
17.0
19
BBC IPlayer
696
13.6
20
Apple.com Worldwide Sites
614
12.0
21
VIRGINMEDIA.COM*
591
11.5
22
WORDPRESS.COM*
562
11.0
23
Ask UK
500
9.8
24
IMDb
498
9.7
25
TWITTER.COM
492
9.6
26
eHow
486
9.5
27
BBC Entertainment
486
9.5
28
BBC Other
472
9.2
29
GUARDIAN.CO.UK
460
9.0
30
CHANNEL4.COM
434
8.5
31
CBS Interactive Music Group
429
8.4
32
Sky Portal
422
8.2
33
CNET
421
8.2
34
ITV
411
8.0
35
Argos
383
7.5
36
uTorrent (App)
383
7.5
37
Nickelodeon Kids & Teens
358
7.0
38
BINWEEVILS.COM
353
6.9
39
About
353
6.9
40
AOL Music
349
6.8
41
Nickelodeon Casual Games
306
6.0
42
ADOBE.COM
305
6.0
43
PHOTOBUCKET.COM
294
5.7
44
BBC UK Radio
273
5.3
Nickelodeon Family &
45
Parents
254
5.0
46
Tend: Glam Media
253
4.9
47
IGN Entertainment Games
251
4.9
48
HPMG News
245
4.8
49
CNN Network
239
4.7
50
TBS Entertainment Digital
230
4.5

Minutes per visitor

51.3
41.1
435.2
10.4
213.3
309.0
17.3
15.0
14.8
39.1
3.9
10.9
6.3
4.9
3.7
6.1
5.4
23.4
7.3
6.0
10.8
1.8
6.0
31.7
2.1
3.5
2.5
3.4
8.7
4.0
59.8
3.4
13.5
11.0
67.7
96.5
2.7
2.9
19.3
2.6
6.5
3.8
33.6
4.7
13.6
1.8
4.2
21.9

Source: comScore MMX, May 2011, home and work panel, children aged 6-14

219

Children and parents: media use and attitudes report

Figure 2.1: Frequency of instant messaging (IM) use (age 1317)

Figure 2.2: Use among 13-17 year olds of instant messaging (IM) services, by brand

220