9 out of 10 teens are online

Internet use among children under 14 has remained stable over the past two years: Nearly half use the Internet; the older the child, the more frequently they use the Web. Children most often use a tablet or smartphone to access the Internet. NET-Metrix has published data for the second time on internet use among children aged 0 to 13 in Switzerland.As part of an online survey, approximately 4,000 people were asked how the children in their households use the Internet. Data on approximately 1,500 children was collected, which is being published today as part of the NET-Metrix-Base Trend study.The older you get, the more active you areOlder children are also the most active online. While 93 percent of 10- to 13-year-olds are online, only 12 percent of 0- to 4-year-olds are. Among preschool and elementary school children (ages 5 to 9), 54 percent use the Internet. The percentage of daily or nearly daily Internet users is highest among 12- to 13-year-olds, at 73 percent.Streaming Is Very PopularStreaming is the most popular online activity: Two-thirds of young Internet users watch videos online (e.g., on YouTube), watch TV online, or listen to music online. More than half of children who use the Internet search for information on the World Wide Web and/or play online games (52 percent each). Only 19 percent are active on social networks, blogs, forums, or wikis. This percentage is significantly higher among 12- to 13-year-olds, at 52 percent.Tablet preferredWhat devices do children use most often to watch videos, search the web, or play games? 55 percent of young internet users use a tablet for these activities, though it may also be a family device. On the other hand, the smartphone is the preferred device for teenagers. It is used by 70 percent of 12- to 13-year-olds to surf the Internet.