Overview

• IPA data show adults in Great Britain now spend an average of 3 hours 21 minutes daily on mobiles compared with 3 hours 16 minutes on TV, marking the first time phones have topped set viewing in the survey’s history.
• Overall screen time has climbed to nearly 7.5 hours per day, up from 6.5 hours a decade ago, driven by a three-fold rise in mobile usage since 2015.
• The youngest cohort (15-24) logs nearly five hours on mobiles each day—about 50% more than the adult average—and watches less than two hours of traditional TV.
• Mobile engagement remains steady from morning through late evening, contrasting with TV’s evening peaks and computer use during standard work hours.
• In response to rising mental health concerns, Ofcom has implemented new online child safety rules and proposed a two-hour daily social media limit with a 10 pm curfew for under-18s.