Spain’s internet habits now closely mirror those seen in the United Kingdom. Photo credit: Novikov Aleksey/Shutterstock
Spaniards are now spending more than four hours online every day on average, with mobile phones becoming increasingly central to daily life, according to a major new study into digital habits in Spain. The findings suggest that internet use in Spain is continuing to intensify, particularly through smartphones, social media platforms and artificial intelligence tools. The figures come from the 28th edition of the “Navegantes en la Red” report, based on 15,000 surveys carried out at the end of 2025.
The report found that 91 per cent of Spaniards access the internet primarily through their mobile phone, while almost half described themselves as being connected “almost constantly”. More than half of respondents, 55.1 per cent, said they could not live without their mobile phone, and 36.5 per cent admitted checking it compulsively. Researchers linked the increase in screen time to heavier use of streaming platforms, podcasts, social media and AI-powered applications.
Social media dominates daily online behaviour
Social media continues to dominate online behaviour in Spain. The report found that 87 per cent of internet users access social media every day, while 42.5 per cent spend more than an hour daily on those platforms alone. Instagram remained the country’s most widely used social network, used by 75 per cent of social media users, followed by Facebook on 58.9 per cent and TikTok on 41.3 per cent.
The study also highlighted the growing influence of online personalities. More than half of those surveyed said they follow influencers, YouTubers or streamers regularly. Podcast listening has also continued to rise in Spain. Radio podcasts are now listened to for an average of 49 minutes a day, while other podcast formats average 56 minutes daily. Spotify remained the most-used podcast platform, followed by radio station services and YouTube Music.
Artificial intelligence use rises sharply in Spain
Artificial intelligence usage has risen significantly in Spain over the past year. According to the report, 77.8 per cent of respondents had used AI applications at least once, an increase of more than 17 percentage points compared with the previous year. More than a third now use AI tools every day. People most commonly used AI for online searches, text generation, document summaries, translations and image creation.
Among AI platforms, OpenAI’s ChatGPT remained the most widely used service, reaching 74.2 per cent of AI users, although its lead narrowed slightly compared with the previous year. Google’s Gemini platform rose significantly to 41.9 per cent following strong annual growth. Despite the rapid adoption of AI, many users expressed concern about reliability and ethics. Seven in ten AI users said they had received incorrect information from these systems, while 60.5 per cent said they were worried about the wider implications of AI technology. More than half also believed there was excessive hype surrounding the sector.
Parents support tighter online protections for children
Concerns about children’s internet use were another major theme of the report. Nearly two-thirds of parents reported using parental controls, while there was broad support for age verification systems on adult websites. The restriction of screens in schools also received strong public backing, with 83 per cent supporting limits on device use in classrooms.
The findings reflect emerging concerns across Europe about the effects of constant connectivity on younger generations and the growing challenge of balancing digital access with online safety.
Internet habits in Spain now mirror trends in the UK
Spain’s internet habits now closely mirror those seen in the United Kingdom. According to Ofcom, British adults spent an average of four and a half hours online each day in 2025, slightly higher than the figure reported in Spain. Younger adults in the UK, particularly those aged between 18 and 24, averaged more than six hours online daily.
The UK study also found that smartphones accounted for the vast majority of online activity, reflecting a similar shift away from desktop internet use. Women in Britain were found to spend more time online than men across every adult age group. While internet use has become deeply embedded in everyday life across Europe, both the Spanish and British reports point to growing concerns about dependency, misinformation and the impact of digital technology on daily routines.
