Warc, 30 April 2014
LONDON: Internet use among the youngest age groups in the UK
is almost universal according to a new report which also found a marked growth
in take-up and use by older people during the past year.
As part of the Adults' Media Use and Attitudes Report, from
UK regulator Ofcom, 1,642 adults over the age of 16 were surveyed towards the
end of 2013. Overall, 83% of respondents were going online, up from 79% a year
earlier.
Ofcom noted, however, how internet use varied considerably
by age. Among Generations Y and Z (16 to 34 year olds) there was near total
penetration, as 98% went online.
The next two age groups were close behind with 92% of 35 to
44 years olds and 91% of 45 to 54 year olds online. Among the latter group
there had been a seven point rise on 2012.
The most significant change had come in the oldest age
group, where 42% of the over 65s were going online in 2013, compared to 33% in
2012.
And the hard core of non-users was slowly eroding. In 2012,
15% had said they did not have internet access at home and were not going to
change that; but in 2013 that figure had dropped to 12%.
Older consumers were also increasingly likely to go online
using mobile devices, the report said. The use of tablets by 65 to 74 year olds
had trebled in one year from 5% to 17%. Overall, tablet usage had almost
doubled from 16% in 2012 to 30% in 2013.
Smartphone use, too, was increasing albeit at a slower rate,
from 12% to 20% among 65 to 74 year olds and from 54% to 62% across all age
ranges.
Ofcom further observed that the increases in take-up of
mobile devices mirrored an increase in the range of mobile activities that
people were undertaking.
Sending or receiving emails (55%) and visiting social
networking sites or apps (53%) were the most popular activities, followed by
sending and receiving video clips (48%) and instant messaging (38%).
One third of mobile users also said they bought things via
phone (33% vs. 23% in 2012) or used their phone to check their bank balance
(34% vs. 25% in 2012).
Data sourced from Ofcom; additional content by Warc staff
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