Monday August 19 2024, Sydney
Nearly half of Australian kids aged 10-15 are on average spending over two hours a day on TikTok, according to a new report from world-leading online safety company Qustodio.
The report, titled "Apps through the Ages", is based on anonymous app and online tool usage from 19,000 Australian families with children aged between 7-18. The new research reveals how children are interacting with apps over time, and how habits change and develop with age.
It found that screen time becomes dominated by TikTok from as early as 10 years old, with 39 per cent of 10-12 year olds using the video sharing app for an average of 122 minutes a day, and 48 per cent of 13-15 year olds using the application for an average of 121 minutes a day.
It also found that nearly 40 per cent of children aged 7-9 have an X - formerly Twitter - account, and that Snapchat quickly becomes a dominating application at the critical development age range of 13-15, enabling teenagers to begin sending images and texts. Instagram becomes the dominant application for those aged 16-18.
"There are a number of key findings in our analysis of the usage data among Australian families that should give parents cause for concern, no matter the age," said Yasmin London, global online safety expert for Qoria, the parent company of Qustodio.
"Amid a debate about enforcing age restrictions for social media companies in Australia, it's important to understand where children are actually spending their time, and the risks those apps pose. While many parents may see many of these apps as harmless distractions, they can expose children to a harmful and dark side of social media."
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Roblox and access to X, tablets, define the 7-9 age cohort
Children aged 7-9 are predominantly accessing apps through tablets, with 57 per cent of kids owning their own and using them to access apps like Roblox, YouTube and Netflix.
On average, this age group spend over two hours a day on Roblox. The app allows users to play a wide variety of games, create their own games, and chat with other users online. While seemingly a harmless game, it poses its own risks as adults also play and some games have been found to contain highly inappropriate sexual content.
"Parents think apps like Roblox are safe because the avatars look like innocent little Lego characters," says London. "But while kids are creating and participating in games, so too are older people and behind those avatars are adults using these games and chatrooms to groom or manipulate younger users. Parents need to understand the game, the risks it poses and who kids are playing with."
Meanwhile, social media use is already beginning at this age, with two in five kids using the platform X and 29 per cent already using Reddit.
"The theory is that kids as young as 7-9 years of age are gaining access to apps like X and Reddit as parents either don't know much about them or don't think to block them because they aren't as 'popular' - even though both platforms could expose kids to explicit content, hate speech, and disinformation," says London.
The Smartphone Age begins at 10-12, along with 240 Tik Tok videos a day
Smartphones begin to emerge as devices in this age group, with 47 per cent of kids owning one.
"Many parents may look at this statistic and wonder why so many kids this age have a smartphone or a TikTok account, and say something like 'just don't give your kid access at that age'. But it's not that simple," says London.
"For kids, often their main concern is cyber ostracism, which can lead to its own set of issues. People may downplay or ignore this issue, but not being included or allowed in chat groups or online games can result in kids doing it regardless and in a secretive way which isn't great if need them to come forward when things go wrong. All kids want to feel included and the online world and friendship groups online are part of that now.
It's perhaps no coincidence then that TikTok starts to dominate from this age group onwards, with 39 per cent of kids using the app for an average of 122 minutes per day.
"Assuming the average TikTok video is 30 seconds long, that's around 240 videos a day exposing kids to a range of content that may be inappropriate for their age group, and affecting their ability to focus and concentrate," says London. "Many parents also don't know about features in these apps like Family Pairing for instance, which helps parents manage their kid's TikTok experience."
At this age, the use of social media platforms X and Reddit gains momentum; X becomes the fourth most popular app with 42 per cent of kids using the platform regularly - dramatically increasing the likelihood of exposure to adult content.
"Globally the average age a young person will first view explicit content occurs before they turn 13. Often this is not because they intentionally seek it out, but because they stumble upon it by accident," says London.
"Mature content is easy to find on platforms like Reddit and X. X has even recently updated its community guidelines to allow users to '’share consensually produced adult nudity or sexual behaviour".
However, Roblox remains the most popular app for 10-12-year-olds, with 59 per cent using the platform for an average of 136 minutes per day.
Tik Tok and Snapchat: 13-15-year-olds move from consumption to sharing
At this age, Roblox slowly begins to take a backseat (slipping to 47 per cent of kids using the platform) as Spotify (88 per cent) and YouTube (58 per cent) become the two most popular apps. But perhaps the biggest takeaway is how social media platforms start to take hold as kids transition further into high school.
In this age group, TikTok becomes the third most popular app, with 48 per cent scrolling the app for an average of 121 minutes a day, closely followed by Snapchat, with 47 per cent of kids accessing the app for an average of 93 minutes a day.
Snapchat allows people to communicate by sending photos and messages that disappear once opened, and the report suggests it is the primary way that teenagers begin to communicate with one another on smartphones. However, the 'disappearing' nature of messages can embolden children to send more explicit messages and photos, and the apps popularity coincides with increasingly toxic online behaviour.
"At this age, teens crave independence and autonomy, but developmentally, they still have poor impulse control. This is why cyberbullying and toxic online behaviours can dramatically increase during these years," says London.
Instagram quickly becomes the most accessed social networking app among 16-18-year-olds
In this age group, Instagram makes an appearance for the first time, becoming the third most popular app (behind Spotify and YouTube) with 50 per cent of kids accessing the app for 65 minutes a day. However, this cohort continues to spend more time on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok.
On average, Snapchat is used for 87 minutes per day with 46 per cent of 16-18-year-olds on the app.
Despite fewer kids using TikTok (44 per cent), its addictive features - such as the 'For You' page - increase the time they are spending on the app, using it for an average of 107 minutes per day, the highest among all apps reviewed as part of the report.
"By this age, teens are often reasonably self-sufficient and confident in their digital interactions, so communication and trust are a parent's most powerful tools," says London. "Even at this age, access to these applications poses the same risks that earlier age groups are exposed to, and they can become an incredible distraction during a time when study and the future of these soon-to-be-adults become critical."
Report Methodology
To reveal app habits and use of AI on mobile and desktop devices of Australian kids, Qustodio by Qoria conducted research from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The report ranks applications in terms of popularity (percentage of users) and time spent (average minutes per day).
To learn more about the report and findings, please download the full Apps Through The Ages report here.
About Qustodio
Qustodio is a world leader in online safety and digital wellbeing for families. Since 2012, they have provided a cross-platform solution for families and schools, helping over 6 million families protect children from online harm, while promoting healthy digital habits and awareness. Available in over 180 countries in 8 languages, our digital wellbeing tools help families and schools live and navigate smarter in an increasingly connected world. In 2022, Qustodio became part of the Qoria group, protecting every child's digital journey through a world-class collaboration between schools, parents, and educators in cyber safety.
Find out more at: www.qustodio.com