Britons are spending more time on YouTube as daily online habits continue to shift. Ofcom’s Online Nation 2025 report shows adults watched YouTube for an average of 51 minutes a day on phones, tablets and PCs. The regulator said services owned by Alphabet and Meta now account for over half of all online time.
Adults spend four and a half hours online daily, an increase of 10 minutes from last year. YouTube remained Alphabet’s most popular service, used by 94% of UK adult internet users in May 2025. Google Search followed with 82% usage.
Meta platforms also maintained strong reach. Facebook and Messenger together reached 93% of online adults, while WhatsApp reached 90%.
These trends show rapid change in Britain’s media landscape. Traditional broadcasters continue to lose viewers to social platforms. Sky, owned by Comcast, recently confirmed talks to buy ITV, the UK’s largest free-to-air commercial broadcaster. Former ITV chairman Peter Bazalgette said regulators must redefine the ad market to reflect competition from digital giants like YouTube.
Meta and Google captured about 60% of UK ad spending in 2024. Ofcom also said YouTube was the country’s second most-watched service, behind the BBC.
