(qlmbusinessnews.com . Wed 10th Dec, 2025) London, UK —
New Ofcom Study Reveals 69% of Teens Turn to Online Wellness Services for Mental Health
UK residents found themselves spending significantly more time online in 2025, surpassing pandemic levels, a comprehensive Ofcom survey revealed. The latest Online Nation report highlighted that on average, Britons logged four hours and 30 minutes a day on the Internet – marking an increase of 31 minutes compared to 2021.
Dr. Aric Sigman, a psychologist, commented on the findings, suggesting that the concern lies not in the increased screen time itself, but in what activities it replaces and its potential impact on mental wellbeing. However, he also pointed to a silver lining, noting, “The good news is that society is starting to scrutinise online activity more critically.”
This scrutiny comes in a year marked by significant attention to online content's societal impact, with the critically acclaimed British Netflix series ‘Adolescence' highlighting issues of misogynistic content and sparking political debate. Despite this, the survey uncovered a decline in the internet's perceived societal value, with only 33% of adults viewing it as “beneficial for society,” compared to 40% the previous year.
Nonetheless, the majority still see the internet's advantages outweighing its risks, and approximately three-quarters of adults acknowledge it as a portal for creative exploration and expanding their worldviews.
The report also shed light on children's online experiences, revealing a mixed perspective. While the majority of 8-17-year-olds are content with their internet time, concerns about the negative effects of prolonged scrolling, described by some as ‘brain rot,' are prevalent. This modern term captures the dissatisfaction among youth over excessive consumption of what is perceived as low-quality content online.
Interestingly, Ofcom's findings indicate significant nighttime online activity among children, with up to a quarter of 8 to 14-year-olds using key platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp from 9 pm to 5 am.
The enforcement of stringent age checks on pornographic websites in the UK under the Online Safety Act has led to a notable surge in VPN usage, as individuals seek to circumvent these restrictions. Post-legislation, daily VPN users rocketed from approximately 650,000 to over 1.4 million, though numbers have since adjusted to around 900,000 as of November.
Furthermore, the report highlights the positive aspects of the digital domain, particularly among 13 to 17-year-olds, 69% of whom utilise online services for mental wellness, including relaxation and mood improvement. Over half of these adolescents specifically mentioned ASMR content for its calming effects, underscoring the value of certain online experiences.
However, the narrative is not solely positive; a significant 70% of children raised concerns over self-improvement media's toxic and body-shaming messages, indicating the complex and multifaceted relationship today's youth have with digital content.
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