RESEARCH BY APP CATEGORY
Communication
What we found
Kids’ use of communication apps in 2023 confirmed that the heyday of video call apps has almost come to a close: old pandemic reliant Zoom finally dropped out of all popularity charts, with other once popular video apps like Skype and Google Duo barely clinging on. Skype’s average daily use dropped by 20% globally, though this trend also held true for consistently popular messaging tools such as WhatsApp, where time spent on the app dropped by 23% over the year.
Even curiosity around Snapchat’s introduction of a new chat-based feature, My AI, couldn’t tempt more kids over to the app. Globally, slightly fewer children used Snapchat across the year, though only 2 percentage points less than instant messaging service WhatsApp, which 37% of kids helped crown the number 1 communication app of 2023. Despite decreased use of certain apps, time spent overall on communication apps held strong across 2023, with no change on a global level from 2022: kids averaged 39 minutes a day calling and chatting with friends and family.
THE MOST POPULAR COMMUNICATION APPS IN 2023
Globally, WhatsApp landed the top spot for the 3rd year in a row, with 37% of kids using the instant messaging app worldwide. Different regions, however, told a distinct story, with European nations being much more WhatsApp-friendly than others, particularly in Spain, where 67% of children now use WhatsApp as their preferred method of communication. The app gained popularity in all 3 countries in Europe included in our report, with the biggest difference seen in France: more children used WhatsApp over the year, from 50% of kids in 2022 to 56% in 2023.
In Australia and the US, however, the popularity rankings were somewhat different, with both countries choosing between Snapchat and Discord as their favorites. Australian kids favored Snapchat: 35% helped to place the photo and chat messaging app 1st in the charts, while over in the US, Discord was the communication app of choice for 33% of children. Despite WhatsApp’s 1st place ranking worldwide, it missed out on a top 5 spot for yet another year, placing 6th overall, even behind video messaging tools Skype and Google Duo.
I use WhatsApp every day but only to talk to friends or people from school. I make videocalls too. It uses a lot of data but that’s the only thing I don’t like. The only thing I worry about is if my mom finds out I’ve used my phone to do my homework.
– Boy, 12
I use WhatsApp every day but only to talk to friends or people from school. I make videocalls too. It uses a lot of data but that’s the only thing I don’t like. The only thing I worry about is if my mom finds out I’ve used my phone to do my homework.
– Boy, 12
Communication apps by popularity & time spent
I go on Teams to do my homework, and last year I used to go on it to talk to my school friends, because we started using it for school.
– Boy, 10
I go on Teams to do my homework, and last year I used to go on it to talk to my school friends, because we started using it for school.
– Boy, 10
HOW MUCH TIME DID CHILDREN SPEND ON COMMUNICATION APPS IN 2023?
While time on communication apps showed no change globally, the story was somewhat different in other countries. Kids in the UK, Australia and France were chattier over the year, increasing time on comms apps by 5%, 2%, and 7% respectively. On the flip side of the coin, children in the US spent slightly less time on communication apps in 2023 (reducing daily use by just a minute, down to 45 mins/day from 46).
So where does Spain figure in all of this? Thanks to Spanish children’s relative disinterest in Snapchat, their time on communication apps tells quite a different story to the rest of the world. Without time Snapping, their use was almost half the global average, at just 21 minutes per day, down 13% from 2022. Spanish children’s 24 daily minutes on Snapchat were nothing compared to kids in the US, who spent an average 88 minutes a day on Snapchat alone, or children in the UK, who averaged an eyebrow-raising 95 mins/day getting Snap-happy.
Children also spent some significant time on Discord servers throughout the year, averaging just under half an hour on the app globally (27 mins/day). As well as being most popular with US kids, Discord also triumphed in terms of time spent: children in the US spent 31 mins/day chatting and exploring in the app, the most time spent out of all countries included in our report. mins/day compared to 16.
Time kids spent on communication apps in general (avg. mins/day)
– Girl, 12
– Girl, 12
The most blocked communication apps in 2023
From stranger danger to privacy risks, families have a fair few reasons to be wary of certain communication apps. Globally, and in most countries, consensus pointed towards Snapchat as parents’ most blocked app. In Spain, however, their blocking choices reflected the most popular communication app among kids: WhatsApp.
Discord, often featured in the press as a source of misinformation and meeting place for extremists, has worked to crack down on this over the last few years, with the introduction of AI detection and active moderators. Despite this, it was still an app of concern for many families, coming in 2nd place for most blocked globally, in the US, UK, and Australia.
I’m only allowed to use snapchat for pictures. I can’t send any messages. I know [my parents] supervise me because they care. I’m still able to play on many app.
– Girl, 10
I’m only allowed to use snapchat for pictures. I can’t send any messages. I know [my parents] supervise me because they care. I’m still able to play on many app.
– Girl, 10
What we expect
Links between social media and communication apps get stronger by the year, and with both adding more and more features as time goes by, lines will continue to blur: Many people, children and adults alike, are frequently using social apps to message and keep in touch with friends and followers. In the future, this could mean a possible integration between social networks and messaging apps, especially in cases where both fall under the umbrella of company products – like Meta, owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
2023 was the year AI in everyday technology exploded onto the scene: but we have yet to see what’s next for app integration. Adapting to the next evolution of communication apps, with built-in AI, will be part of the journey in the coming years. It’s yet to be seen how this kind of integration will affect data privacy, but as safety and security is already a pressing issue for many families with children using communication apps, we may also see the evolution of tools and settings geared towards keeping children safe as they chat, message, call online.
These worries about data privacy are also teamed with concerns surrounding how children are making use of apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. Recent cases in Spain show children and teenagers used group chat features to spread pornographic material and far-right messaging, while other new in-app tools such as editing features or disappearing messages have been criticized for their potential to be misused and manipulated. In turn, we expect to see new, communication-app exclusive parental controls and wellbeing features rolled out, just as we have seen over the last few years with social media.
What we recommend
Whether talking to friends, family, or online contacts, it’s important to safeguard personal information, and prevent the spread of potentially misleading messages. Communication apps like WhatsApp and Telegram can be a prime source of unchecked misinformation, as it’s difficult for people to check sources or even know where a forwarded message originally came from. Communication apps make it all too easy to spread potentially harmful messages, and it’s important to acknowledge that allowing them access to tools such as WhatsApp may expose them to fake news and disinformation.
Even with communication apps, which families often see as simple tools that allow kids to chat to one another, it’s easy for children to have access to platforms which aren’t necessarily appropriate for their age group – all in the name of staying in touch. In areas of the world like Europe, penetration of apps like WhatsApp is now so high that it’s often the “default” communication app for friends and family. When downloading a new communication tool, families must consider the features it offers, and potential risks, including data security, who can contact children through it, and how the platform could be misused.
As more and more kids experience online bullying and abuse, they should be prepared with coping strategies and blocking procedures that allow them to enjoy chatting with those they love and care about, not bullies or people trying to make their lives difficult. Parents and guardians need to understand how specific communications apps work, and teach children how to make use of features such as contact blocking, or reporting, depending on the app. In addition, always listening to your child’s worries with an open, curious mind, rather than reacting angrily or judging them, will let them know that you are a safe space for them to turn to should they ever need it.
Though often associated with social media, cyberbullying and hateful messages can also come through communication apps like Snapchat. In many cases of online bullying, the victim knows the perpetrator personally, which means communication apps are just one more method that bullies can use to harass and intimidate others. Families should watch for signs of online bullying, such as changes in eating and sleeping habits, children feeling angry or frustrated after spending time online, and increased secrecy, particularly surrounding technology use.
