Quarter of UK children have smartphone at ages three and four – Ofcom

A quarter of three- and four-year-olds in the UK now have a smartphone, while half of children under 12 are on social media, according to data that comes as ministers consider banning all children under 16 from buying a mobile phone.

The figures from the communications watchdog Ofcom show high and rising rates of online activity among young children, with 38% of five- to seven-year-olds using social media, compared with 30% a year ago, and 76% of them using a tablet.

The findings will boost the argument of those close to Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, who have been urging him to clamp down on phone and social media use by young children. Ministers will launch a consultation on what measures to take within weeks, according to government sources.

The consultation will include a proposal to ban mobile-phone sales to under-16s, one to make it easier for parents to put parental controls on devices, and one to raise the minimum age for social media sites from 13 to as high as 16. Ofcom also found that half of children aged three to 12 use at least one social media app, despite the minimum age requirement of 13.

Michelle Donelan, the technology secretary, said in a statement: “Children as young as five should not be accessing social media and these stark findings show why our Online Safety Act is essential.

“Most platforms say they do not allow under-13s on to their sites and the act will ensure companies enforce these limits or they could face massive fines. If they fail to comply with Ofcom decisions and keep children safe, their bosses could face prison.”

The figures come amid growing evidence of the impact of social media use on children. The US government has warned that social media poses a “profound risk” to the mental health of children and teenagers.

Jonathan Haidt, a US academic whose book The Anxious Generation has been cited as influencing No 10’s thinking, told the Guardian that parents should work with schools to set a new norm: “Don’t give children a smartphone before the end of secondary education, around age 16.”

The Molly Rose Foundation, which campaigns on online child safety, said Ofcom must crack down on platforms that “turn a blind eye” on age requirements, while the NSPCC called for “robust enforcement” of the Online Safety Act, which has provisions on enforcing social media age limits.

The smartphone figures were based on an Ofcom survey of 2,480 parents of three- to 17-year-olds.