Social networking is still one of the most popular uses of the internet amongst 12-15s, although the number of children with social networking profiles has stayed static since 2010 at 3 per cent of 5-7s who use the internet at home, 28 per cent of 8-11s and 75 per cent of 12-15s.
However, children are visiting social network sites more often on their mobiles, driven by the increase in smart phone ownership. Half (50 per cent) of 12-15s with a smartphone visit them weekly compared with 33 per cent in 2010.