Top 10 nations where people spend most time on social media

The United Arab Emirates ranks among the top 10 countries globally where internet users spend the most time on social media, according to a report by global agency We Are Social.

Internet users in the UAE spend an average of three hours per day on social networking platforms, the report found.

Facebook, Skype and WhatsApp are the most actively used platforms by the 6.3 million social networking users in the country.

The report also found that the UAE ranked third among nations with the highest average number of social networking accounts per individual.

Globally, one in every three minutes spent in online is devoted for social networking. The active number of social media accounts per individual has also doubled from three to seven between 2012 and 2016.

However, only 70 per cent of internet consumers use smart phones for social networking, the report added.

Where do people spend the most time on social media?

1. Philippines

Time spent on social networking per day: 3.7 hours
Internet usage per day: 5.2 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.2 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 47

2. Brazil

Time spent on social networking per day: 3.3 hours
Internet usage per day: 5.2 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.9 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 49

3. Mexico

Time spent on social networking per day: 3.2 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.6 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.4 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 47

4. Argentina

Time spent on social networking per day: 3.2 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.7 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.5 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 59

5. United Arab Emirates

Time spent on social networking per day: 3 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.4 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.6 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 68

6. Malaysia

Time spent on social networking per day: 3 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.6 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.6 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 59

7. Saudi Arabia

Time spent on social networking per day: 2.9 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.1 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.8 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 35

8. Thailand

Time spent on social networking per day: 2.9 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.7 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.9 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 58

9. Indonesia

Time spent on social networking per day: 2.7 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.7 hours via desktop/laptop and 3.5 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 30

10. South Africa

Time spent on social networking per day: 2.7 hours
Internet usage per day: 4.9 hours via desktop/laptop and 3 hours via smartphone
Percentage of active social media users: 24