Brain rot fears as kids use TikTok and YouTube extensively – Health…

Approximately one-fifth of the time youngsters between eight and 14 years previous spend on YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok and WhatsApp happens between 9pm and 5am, according to findings from the media regulator. Ofcom’s annual report, launched on Wednesday, revealed that a “significant amount of the time online spent by children is at night.”

Between 4-10% of their usage across these 4 social media platforms occurs between 11pm-5am, while 15-24% takes place between 9pm and 5am, various by platform, the report said. These are the 4 major providers utilized by youngsters. Several youngsters expressed worries to Ofcom about squandering time on addictive “brain rot” content on social media, outlined as materials that is rapid-fire, disorderly and regularly absurd.

One 13 12 months previous woman shared with the study: “I find it really hard to watch movies… So normally if I’m watching something on Netflix. I get really bored of it and I just go on my phone and I don’t even realise it, I’m just scrolling on TikTok then I look at the time and I’m like, ‘what the hell, I need to go to bed.'”, reviews the Mirror.

Additionally, Ofcom’s complete examination of the nation’s digital behaviors found that 58% of 11-17 12 months olds encountered bullying content online this 12 months, 49% got here across hate-associated materials, and 30% reported seeing content selling harmful stunts or challenges.

However, younger people also found helpful functions of the web, with seven in ten (69%) 13–17 12 months olds utilizing it to help their mental health and almost eight in ten (78%) indicating the web assists with homework. Among adults, Ofcom’s findings revealed that Facebook stays the platform where customers most regularly report coming across their latest potential hurt.

The examine also found that X, beforehand identified as Twitter, stands alone among the top ten social media providers as the only one where male customers make-up the bulk of guests. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping how Britons search online, with ChatGPT recording 1.8 billion UK visits during the first eight months of 2025, a dramatic bounce from 368 million during the corresponding period in 2024.

However, Ofcom’s research also uncovered that 5% of UK residents aged 16 and above reported missing home web access this 12 months, with that determine climbing to 20% for those aged 75 and older. This comes as the Government unveiled 80 local initiatives on Wednesday designed to present free help in getting people linked online. These packages have secured funding from the £11.7million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund.

Digital Inclusion Minister Liz Lloyd commented: “This Government is tearing down the barriers to success and making the future work for all, not just the fortunate.”

Ofcom carried out its research prior to implementing its youngsters’s codes in July, which offer tech firms with steering on minimizing hurt to younger people online, as mandated by the UK’s Online Safety Act.