Streaming and communication apps lead among Indian children’s digital preferences: Kaspersky

To help kids watch their favourite shows safely, Kaspersky recommends open communication, trusted security tools, digital parenting apps, cybersecurity education, and active monitoring to protect against threats and encourage responsible online behaviour

Streaming services have emerged as the top digital destination for Indian children, with nearly 48% preferring platforms that offer audio and video content, according to cybersecurity firm Kaspersky’s latest annual report. Based on data gathered from May 2024 to April 2025, the study reveals a marked shift in how kids engage with the internet, as only 34.7% are now primarily using online communication tools like messaging apps. The findings underscore a growing appetite for immersive and on-demand content, signalling a broader transformation in children’s digital habits.

The report also points to emerging trends that are capturing the attention of young users. Among them is a rising interest in AI-powered chatbots, alongside viral content like the Italian “brainrot” meme trend “tralalero tralala,” and the growing popularity of Sprunki, a rhythm-based game that merges music with motion.

Globally, YouTube continues to dominate as the most-used application among children. Notably, WhatsApp has now surpassed TikTok to become the second-most popular app. Kaspersky’s analysis further indicates a sharp increase in children’s use of generative AI platforms, with Character.AI breaking into the Top 20 most-used apps for the first time in the 2023–2024 period. This shift highlights how AI tools are becoming an integral part of children's digital experiences.

The findings in this report are based on anonymized data voluntarily provided by users of the Kaspersky Safe Kids parental control solution between May 2024 and April 2025.

Giving further insight, Purshottam Bhatia, Head of Consumer Business for India, Kaspersky, says, “We find that children in India are highly immersed in the digital sphere. They spend a considerable amount of time online using different digital tools and platforms. This leaves vulnerable to cyberattacks on their mobile and desktop devices. These are often disguised as topics popular with children. Parents need to understand their children’s preferences and be extra vigilant when sharing sensitive data like login credentials and credit card details. Kaspersky’s Safe Kids is a dedicated digital parenting app that helps parents safeguard their children both online and offline.”

Recent studies indicate that 8-10-year-old children spend an average of six hours daily on screens, while preteens (ages 11–14) average about nine hours per day. With such a significant portion of their lives unfolding online, it becomes especially important for parents to understand what captures their children’s attention in the digital space — what they search for, what platforms they use, and which trends influence their interests and behaviour.

Every year, new digital trends shape the way children explore the world. In this year’s report, Kaspersky found a surge of interest in artificial intelligence tools. More than 7.5% of all search queries were about AI chatbots, led by well-known names like ChatGPT, Gemini, and especially Character.AI — a platform that lets users create or interact with bots mimicking fictional or real characters. This marks a sharp rise from last year: in the 2023–2024 report, AI-related queries made up just 3.19% of all searches, increasing more than twice this year.

While memes made up a small portion of searches this year, they still reveal another layer of children’s digital culture. Many of the most popular memes fell into what’s called “brainrot” — a kind of absurd, deliberately chaotic humor that spreads through short videos. Among the most searched were the Italian phrase “tralalero tralala” and a meme track called “tung tung tung sahur”. These phrases may sound random to adults, but for many children, they represent shared jokes that move quickly from platform to platform.

Examples of Italian brainrot phrases

Among the newcomers that caught analysts’ attention was Sprunki — a rhythm-based browser game that blends music and visual interaction. Players must hit beats in sync with fast-paced audio, making the experience both immersive and physically engaging. Its bright, cartoonish design and addictive gameplay have made it increasingly popular with younger audiences. This is reflected not only in Google searches but also on YouTube, where Sprunki entered the top five most searched gaming topics, standing alongside long-time favorites like Brawl Stars and Roblox.

Sprunki songs

At the same time, more familiar habits remain strong. The most common online activity among kids was searching on Google for streaming platforms. YouTube tops the list for video streaming while WhatsApp was popular for online communication. This shift may reflect evolving communication habits — children are using chat apps more frequently to share links, memes and short videos with friends.

Video content and games also remain popular topics in children’s search behavior. Platforms like Netflix, Twitch and Disney+ held strong — a trend that also echoed findings from Kaspersky’s recent streaming report, which highlighted how entertainment platforms often become targets for cybercriminals. At the same time, in the gaming world, kids continued to favor Roblox, Minecraft and increasingly, the browser-based portal Poki — a portal offering hundreds of free games, often simple, fast-paced and instantly accessible in a browser.

This year’s trends show just how fast kids’ digital culture is evolving and their exposure to variety of content is greater than before. This report also brings out the fact that all online interactions, especially with AI Chatbots, show a need for connection. However, the children remain susceptible to emotionally intense content, misinformation or age-inappropriate themes. This is because these AI-driven platforms often rely on user-generated content and may lack strict moderation. So, parents are advised to understand what their children are watching, playing or searching for, and talk openly with kids about how they should use AI tools. They should set up apps for digital parenting that help families stay aware, involved and protected.

To watch favourite shows safely, Kaspersky recommends the following:

·       Maintain open communication with children about potential online risks and establish clear guidelines to ensure their safety.

·       Secure gaming experiences by installing a trusted security solution, such as Kaspersky Premium, to prevent malicious file downloads.

·       Stay informed about emerging threats and actively monitor children’s online activities in order to create a safer digital environment.

·       Introduce children to cybersecurity basics using educational tools like the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Alphabet — a free downloadable book that explains key concepts, cyber hygiene rules, and how to avoid fraud.

·       Use digital parenting apps like Kaspersky Safe Kids to protect children both online and offline, manage screen time, block inappropriate content, and track their location for greater peace of mind.