Internet use among children in Türkiye hits 91.3%
A child trying to have their tablet PC taken away by a parent. (Getty Images)
The latest data reveals that internet use among children in Türkiye has reached 91.3% this year.
The breakdown shows that 92.2% of boys and 90.3% of girls are now online, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), which recently released the findings of its “2024 Child Internet Technology Usage Research.”
Independent study highlights increasing trends
This year’s study marks the first time the research has been conducted independently, previously being part of the Household Information Technology Usage Survey in 2013 and 2021. Significant changes were made to the sampling method and questionnaire design to provide more accurate results.
“Children” refers to individuals aged 6 to 15, while “regular use” means using something several times a day, daily, or at least once a week.
Surge in internet usage since 2021
The study shows a significant increase in internet usage among children, rising from 82.7% in 2021 to 91.3% in 2024. When examining gender differences, 92.2% of boys and 90.3% of girls reported using the internet, compared to 83.9% and 81.5%, respectively, in 2021.
Additionally, 97.4% of children were noted to be regular internet users, slightly down from 98.6% in 2021.
Daily internet habits of children
Among regular internet users, 42.9% spend about two hours or more online during the weekdays, while this figure rises to 53.6% on weekends.
When analyzed by age group, 30.6% of children aged 6-10 and 54.4% of those aged 11-15 use the internet for two or more hours during the week. This increases to 43.2% and 63.5%, respectively, over the weekend.
Video watching dominates online activities
Among regular internet users, certain activities stand out as the most popular:
- 83.9% watch videos online.
- 75% use the internet for homework, learning, or attending online classes.
- 72.7% play or download games.
Conversely, only 13.2% use the internet for sending or receiving emails.
Social media use on rise
The report highlights children’s social media usage trends:
- 66.1% of children use social media.
- 68.1% of boys and 64% of girls participate.
- 53.5% of children aged 6-10 use social media, while 79% of those aged 11-15 are active.
Furthermore, 97.9% of children who use social media do so regularly, with 37.1% spending two hours or more online during weekdays and 49.5% on weekends.
Mobile device internet use among children
The survey reveals key insights about children’s device ownership and social media preferences:
- 76.1% of children own a mobile or smart device.
- YouTube is the most popular platform, used by 96.3%.
Other platforms include:
- Instagram: 41.5%
- TikTok: 26.2%
- Snapchat: 21.4%
- Pinterest: 13.6%
- Facebook: 9.5%
- X: 4.9%
Among the 6-10 age group, TikTok ranks second at 11.7%, while for 11-15 year-olds, Instagram takes second place at 63%.
Regular device checking among kids
About 98.2% of children reported regular use of mobile devices, with the most common activities being internet browsing (77.9%), video calls (77.3%), watching films or shows (75%), and social media usage (73.6%).
Interestingly, 32.6% of these children check their devices every 30 minutes, with the rate slightly higher among boys at 33.9% compared to 31.2% for girls. The habit of checking devices is more pronounced in the 11-15 age group, where 42.8% report doing so.
Digital gaming popularity
The research also shows that 74% of children aged 6-15 play digital games, with nearly half dedicating around two hours or more to gaming on weekends. Among boys, 82.8% engage in digital gaming, while the figure for girls is 64.8%.
This trend is consistent across age groups, with 80.6% of boys and 70.6% of girls in the 6-10 age group playing games, and 85% of boys and 58.7% of girls in the 11-15 group.
Concerns over gaming habits
Among regular gamers, 46.3% feel that their parents believe they play too much. Additionally, 40.1% admit to gaming longer than intended, while 35.6% report that it interferes with their responsibilities. Some children (29.9%) also expressed feeling uneasy or unhappy when they aren’t playing.
The study found that 34.4% of children read fewer books due to increased screen time, followed by 33.3% who study less, 25.5% who spend less time with family, 18.6% who have fewer face-to-face interactions with friends, and 17.2% who sleep less.
