Ofcom: Social video app usage surges in lockdown
June 24, 2020
UK adults spent a quarter of their waking day online during lockdown – a record high – according to research from Ofcom.
During April, adults spent an average of four hours a day online, up from three-and-a-half in September 2019, the communications watchdog reported.
Seven in 10 people made video calls at least once a week during lockdown, with Zoom, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger apps used the most.
Meanwhile Twitch, the livestreaming platform for gamers, saw visitors increase from 2.3 million in January to 4.2 million in April.
TikTok, which allows users to create and share short videos, reached 12.9 million UK visitors in April, up from 5.4 million in January.
The research also shows that people are no longer just passive consumers, with two in five adults uploading videos to TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat or Instagram.
Ofcom’s director of strategy and research Yih-Choung Teh said: “Lockdown may leave a lasting digital legacy. Coronavirus has radically changed the way we live, work and communicate online, with millions of people using online video services for the first time.”