Ofcom: social networking on the rise
Updated on 06 August 2009
The credit crunch means we are turning to Facebook, texting, on-demand TV and Twitter over holidays and nights out, according to Ofcom.
In its Communications Market Report, the communications watchdog found that up to May 2009, 19 million people were using social networking website Facebook for an average of six hours a month - up from four hours a month the previous year.
But the number of 15-24 year olds using social networking sites fell during the year from 55 per cent to 50 per cent. Ofcom did not survey young people under the age of 14.
Twitter's online presence has also shot up over the last year, from 0.1 million Tweeters to 2.6 million in May.
And mobile phone use is on the rise as consumers are getting better deals. Around 80 billion texts were sent last year - an average of 100 texts per person per month - mainly as a result of mobile phone packages including unlimited texts.
Television consumption is also changing, with more and more viewers taking control of their viewing schedule through on-demand and online services.
Men are marginally more likely to watch television on-demand than women, but the younger age group of 15-24 year olds are twice as likely as 55-64 year olds to watch programmes through the internet.
Although pay-per-download music services like iTunes remain popular, the last 12 months has also seen the rapid emergence of online streaming services like Spotify, Ofcom found.
Overall, Ofcom found that around half of UK consumers would sooner cut back on eating out, home improvements and holidays than give up communications services, but that does not stop them looking for the best deal.
Peter Phillips, Ofcom Partner, Strategy & Market Developments, said: "Despite the recession, people are spending more time watching TV, using their mobile phone or accessing the internet."
