Surfing the internet has overtaken traditional television as the most popular digital pastime of British households.
Fifty-six per cent spent more time online than in front of a TV last year, up from 49 per cent in 2016, according to the annual digital home survey of 2,500 people by EY, the consultancy firm. Streaming TV content on Netflix and iPlayer on a computer is counted as time spent online, so the survey shows a shift in viewing habits rather than a decline in TV viewing.
Ratings for traditional TV channels have fallen steadily in recent years, with numbers for shows such as The X Factor on ITV declining as more people turn to series such as The Crown on Netflix.
Half of the households surveyed said that the internet was fundamental to their social lives, up from 48 per cent in 2016. In addition 45 per cent said that it was very important for working from home, up from 41 per cent.
Despite this reliance on the internet for work and entertainment at home, the report found that many households were suffering from digital fatigue. More than four in ten said they actively sought time away from smartphones and other internet-enabled devices.
Advertisement
There was also evidence that Britons were less excited about new gadgets. Only 29 per cent of respondents agreed that they were “very interested in new gadgets and tend to purchase them before everybody else”, down from 34 per cent in 2016.
Respondents were also increasingly concerned about data privacy, following news of data breaches at companies such as Yahoo and Uber. Nearly three quarters, or 71 per cent, said that they were cautious about disclosing personal and financial information online. The figure was up from 61 per cent in 2016 and 52 per cent in 2013.
Praveen Shankar, a technology and media expert at EY, said: “Households are enjoying unprecedented levels of connectivity, transforming their social and home lives as well as their viewing and working habits. This is driving major changes in what they consume and how they do so.”