YouTube Dominates UK's Digital Landscape in 2025

In 2025, Britons spent an average of 51 minutes daily watching YouTube on various devices, showcasing its dominance in the digital realm. Owned by Alphabet, YouTube attracted 94% of online adult users. The rise of social media platforms like YouTube and Meta highlights a shift from traditional broadcasters.

In 2025, Britons dedicated an average of 51 minutes each day to YouTube on smartphones, tablets, and PCs, as reported by Ofcom. Services from both Alphabet, YouTube's owner, and Meta constituted over half of all online time. Britons spent an average of four and a half hours online daily, marking a 10-minute increase from the previous year.

YouTube emerged as Alphabet's most widely used service in Britain, drawing in 94% of the country's adult internet users by May 2025, surpassing the 82% who used Google Search. In comparison, Meta's Facebook and Messenger remained the most popular, engaging 93% of online adults, while WhatsApp maintained a solid 90% usage rate.

The surge in YouTube's popularity emphasizes the changing media landscape in Britain, with traditional broadcasters losing ground to social media platforms like Alphabet's YouTube and Meta's offerings. Recently, Pay-TV group Sky entered talks to acquire ITV, the leading free-to-air commercial broadcaster in the UK, highlighting a shift in the media ecosystem.

Former ITV chairman Peter Bazalgette suggested regulators should redefine the ad market to account for digital competitors such as YouTube. According to Ofcom, Meta and Google captured approximately 60% of UK ad spend in 2024, with Google's YouTube ranking just behind the BBC as the most-watched service in July.