Qustodio releases 2024 report on kids' app usage, The Digital Dilemma: Childhood at a Crossroads

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Qustodio has announced the release of its 6th annual data report on children's app usage, titled The Digital Dilemma: Childhood at a Crossroads. The report analyzes global technology habits among children in 2024, uncovering key trends in screen time, social media, communication apps, mobile gaming, video streaming, online education, and artificial intelligence tools.

The comprehensive study is based on device data collected from over 400,000 family homes in five major world markets: the US, UK, France, Spain, and Australia; along with 10,000 schools in the US, UK, and Australia. In addition to revealing the apps most favored by children and the screen time spent on them, the report includes insights from over 2,000 parents who shared the challenges they faced during a transformative year defined by growing resistance to children's use of devices and social media.

Some key findings include:

• Kids spent a global average of 2 hours per day on TikTok in 2024, marking a 7% increase compared to 2023. Children in the UK and the US spent the most time on the platform, averaging 134 and 132 mins/day, respectively.
• Global Instagram use rose by 25%, with kids spending 79 mins/day on the platform in 2024, up from 63 in 2023. The biggest users were kids in the US who were on Instagram for 89 mins/day.
• Kids globally spent 4.1x more time communicating on Snapchat than on WhatsApp. Worldwide Snapchat use hit 78 mins/day and rose to 97 mins in the UK and 90 in the US.
• With 86 mins/day, kids in the US watched the most YouTube out of the countries analyzed. For every hour Spanish kids spent on YouTube, kids in the US spent almost 2.
• The US also led the way in Roblox playtime: Kids in the US spent over 2.5 hours on average daily on the game, representing a 9% increase on the previous year.
• Almost a third (29%) of parents gave their kids their first smartphone at 12, but 16% gave them one at 10 or younger. With many of these parents citing how challenging the experience was of giving their child their first smartphone, almost half (49%) would change the age they first introduced their child to one.

"2024 marked a pivotal year for children's device use and online safety, especially regarding social media. We've seen that no single solution fits all families and that the path to digital wellbeing is far from easy," says Viktorija Miliajeva, Qustodio CEO. "However, we are more confident than ever that a holistic approach, consisting of open conversation, education, and mindful monitoring, can help children enjoy the benefits of technology while preparing them to face its challenges. A brighter and safer digital future is within our grasp."

The full report is now available to read or download at Qustodio. 

About Qustodio

Qustodio is the world leader in online safety and digital wellbeing for families. Available in over 180 countries in 8 languages, our digital wellbeing tools help over 7 million families protect children from online harm while promoting healthy digital habits and a positive online experience. In 2022, Qustodio formed a world-class collaboration with Qoria, a global network that provides uninterrupted digital safety to more than 23 million children in 27,000 schools worldwide.

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1744849/5117351/Qustodio_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Qustodio