Kids and Social Networking

Richard Nicholls, the Future Foundation, shows that social networking isn’t just for grown-ups…

We present here some highlights from Future Foundation’s April 2011 kids’ research – our first ever survey of children – as part of which we asked respondents about their social networking habits. We surveyed 979 boys and girls aged 7-15 via an online survey.

Children and social networking sites – some key statistics

75% of the kids we surveyed belonged to at least one social networking site (64% of those aged 7-11 and 87% of those aged 12-15). For older children, Facebook predominates. Penetration is 78% among girls aged 12-15 and an almost identical 77% amongst boys aged 12-15. Club Penguin has 28% and 13% penetration amongst girls and boys in this age group respectively; Bebo 17% and 10%.

Facebook’s current minimum age at time of writing is 13. However, our research suggests that this restriction is being flouted by large numbers of younger children. 23% of the 7-11 year olds in our sample (a number virtually identical between boys and girls) claim to belong to Facebook. This places Facebook in third place among the social networking sites in our list, behind Club Penguin (37% of 7-11 year olds, including 42% of boys and 31% of girls) and Moshi Monsters (32% of 7-11 year olds and more popular among girls with 38% penetration against 28% for boys).

When asked about their favourite social networking site, Facebook came out even stronger. 84% of social networkers aged 12-15 rated it at their favourite, as did 27% of 7-11 year olds (just behind Moshi Monsters on 28% and Club Penguin on 37%).

How often do kids log on to their favourite social networking site? Exactly half of kids we surveyed who belong to a social networking site log on at least daily. This is true of around a quarter of 7-9 year olds, over two thirds of 13-14 year olds and over three quarters of 15 year olds. 81% of kids logged on at least weekly. Girls are more active than boys and this is a pattern that increases with age; 28% of boys aged 7-11 log on at least daily against 33% of girls. This gap increases to 57% of boys aged 12-15 against 71% of girls.

Finally, we note one interesting pattern from this research. Although our nationally representative surveys among adults frequently find significant differences in internet and social networking behaviours by social grade, this is not true among kids, who are transcending the class boundaries of their parents. Children from C2DE families are almost as likely to belong to a social networking site as those from ABC1 families (73% vs. 77%). And among social networkers, 54% of children from C2DE families log on at least daily against 48% of children from ABC1 families.

Kids’ social networking behaviours

We begin with a piece of myth-busting. Contrary to the view that social networking is a symbol of an atomised society and an inhibitor of friendships, a substantial minority (44%) of social networkers aged 12-15 agree that “since I joined a social network the number of good friends I have has increased” (against only 17% who disagree). And for some kids, social networking can be a much-needed outlet for expressing personal issues they might not otherwise be able to; almost a quarter agree that “in the last 12 months I have discussed personal, emotional or intimate issues with people online that I haven’t discussed with friends or family face to face”.

Both posting and sharing links is widespread. 63% of 12-15 year old social networkers agree that “I often share links to interesting or amusing things on my social networking site”. 61% agree that “I usually click on the links my friends share on social networking sites”. There is little variation by gender.

Looking at gaming, more than three fifths of 12-15 year old social networkers have played a game with a social networking site – with 13-14 year olds the most likely to do this.

And almost two in five of 12-15 year old social networkers agree that “I keep up with a brand, product or company via a social networking site”, with no difference between boys and girls.

For more, contact Richard Nicholls at the Future Foundation on 020 3008 6103 or at [email protected].

See also reports from MediaTel’s ‘Youth, Media and Technology’ event.