Children and media in France - statistics & facts

The media consumption of young French people has evolved over time and has adapted to an increasingly digital age. While the access to electronic devices, such as television sets, smartphones, and tablets, has become more widepread among French children, with more than 40 percent of them spending more than three hours a day in front of a screen in 2022. That same year, children aged between one to six spent more than six hours on the Iinternet, more than in front of a television screen or a game console, and this figure only increaseds with age.

Video consumption is mostly digital

The video consumption of young French people has become increasingly digital. While 88 percent of them still watch video programs on television, the share of children consuming video streaming content has exploded in recent years. Moreover, young French people go less and less to the cinema, and thus seem to favor online alternatives.

Young people still prefer to read on paper

Despite popular belief, young people are far from having given up reading; 41 percent of under-19s claim to read three or more hours a week, a figure higher than that observed among older respondents. Girls seem more prone to reading for leisure, but again, this value drops with age. However, the transition to digital is more difficult in the case of reading. More than half of French children read exclusively on paper, and most of digital readers use their smartphones, with eBook readers being used by only 19 percent of them in 2022.

Audio content still in early stages

While audio books are still a hard sell for most young French readers, 76 percent of children aged four to six listen to audio content, including nursery rhymes, stories, audio books, edutainment content, and music. The children surveyed report that consuming audio content allows them to relax while helping them focus.

A widespread access to social media

It is no surprise that the majority of children have access to a social network. In 2022, 60 percent of girls had a TikTok account, slightly less than boys at 66 percent. However, this is not without danger as many testify to having been the victims of insults or bad experiences online.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 10, 2024

Key insights

Children spending more than 3 hours a day in front of a screen
18%
Weekly television time of 1-6 year olds
6 hours and 7 minutes
Favorite social media activity
Communicate with friends of family
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Number of hours spent looking at a screen by children and teenagers in France in 2022, by media and age group (in hours.minutes)

Media

Weekly screen time of French children and teens 2022, by media

Video content consumption among children in France from 2017 to 2023, by platform

TV

Video consumption among children in France 2017-2023, by platform

Number of hours spent on reading by French youth in a week in 2024, by age group

Books & Publishing

Weekly reading time of youth in France in 2024, by age

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