YouTube and TikTok Dominated Middle East Child Usage
Data from early 2026 reveals top online platforms and the evolving cybersecurity threats facing minors in the region.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Internet
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During the first eight months of 2026, research into children's mobile and desktop activity in the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa identified YouTube, TikTok, and WhatsApp as the most frequented platforms. The findings characterize usage patterns and the persistent digital threats children face while navigating these online environments.
Why it matters
Identifying these usage patterns helps quantify the exposure of minors to specific digital hazards like online grooming and cyberbullying. The integration of generative AI tools has escalated the risk of deepfake-enabled harassment on these common platforms.
Researchers analyzed anonymized usage time data for children across Android and desktop systems during the first eight months of 2026. The study placed YouTube, TikTok, and WhatsApp at the top of the usage list, with Roblox and Discord also appearing in the top 10 most visited resources.
The players
Kaspersky
A global cybersecurity firm that provides threat intelligence and develops the Safe Kids parental control software suite.
The details
The analysis tracked application usage time to determine platform popularity among minors. Findings indicate that common digital threats now include phishing and online grooming, while generative AI – software that creates new data or media based on training patterns – has enabled the creation of deepfakes used for cyberbullying. The data reflects activity recorded on both desktop computers and Android-based mobile devices.
Timeline
Data collection for the report occurred throughout the first eight months of 2026.
The Tech Race
This report extends the long-term monitoring efforts of the Kaspersky Safe Kids research program in high-growth digital markets. It provides a regional baseline that differentiates local usage trends from global benchmarks in child cybersecurity.
Parents and guardians can use these findings to prioritize monitoring efforts on the platforms where children spend the most time. The report highlights a need for increased awareness regarding AI-generated threats like deepfakes when discussing online safety with minors.
The takeaway
The concentration of usage on a few major platforms suggests that targeted safety features for these specific apps are the most effective way to protect minors. Users should monitor the future release of updated threat intelligence reports from major cybersecurity vendors to identify new platform-specific risks.
Further reading
For broader trends in digital security and user behavior, explore the Internet section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TahawulTech.
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