What you will find in the article:
- 3% of children and teens watch video daily.
- Streaming services and social media influence viewing habits significantly.
- Television remains central for family viewing experiences.
- Smartphone ownership rises sharply among older children and teens.
- Co-viewing fosters closeness and shared memories in families.
Video content is firmly embedded in the everyday lives of children and teenagers: 85.3% of 1- to 17-year-olds watch some form of video content every day, whether through traditional television, streaming services, video platforms or social media. Almost all children are already watching video content by preschool age.
At the same time, viewing habits are changing significantly, along with device preferences and the role played by individual platforms. While streaming services and social media are becoming increasingly important for personal, on-demand viewing, the television set remains a focal point where families come together to enjoy shared experiences.
These are among the latest findings of the AGF Next Gen Video Study 2026, conducted for AGF Videoforschung by research agency Kantar in March 2026. Building on the 2020 “AGF GenZ” benchmark study, the latest research includes children from as young as one year old for the first time and covers the entire spectrum of video consumption, including social media.
The research consisted of several components, combining quantitative online surveys with qualitative research. A total of 5,250 children and teenagers aged 1 to 17, or their parents, took part in the survey, complemented by 24 in-depth individual and paired interviews. Parents responded on behalf of the youngest children, while older children and teenagers increasingly participated in the research themselves.
The findings are representative of children and teenagers in Germany, making this one of the most comprehensive studies on the subject conducted in the country in recent years.
“Video content is no longer something exceptional for children and teenagers. It is a natural part of their world, just like school, sport or spending time with friends,” explains Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf, CEO of AGF. “At the same time, the study highlights just how diverse viewing habits have become. Today’s children are growing up surrounded by a wide range of platforms, devices and content, and they begin developing their own habits and preferences from a very early age.”
Children Follow Their Parents’ Viewing Habits
The AGF Next Gen Video Study 2026 shows that overall video consumption remains consistently high, although viewing is increasingly shifting towards streaming services and social media.
Parents have a major influence on their children’s media habits. When parents frequently watch traditional television, streaming content or videos on social media, their children are significantly more likely to do the same.
Smartphones Are Becoming Teenagers’ Primary Personal Device
Even at primary-school age, children develop a clear understanding of which devices are best suited to different types of content. Short-form videos and social media content are predominantly consumed on smartphones or tablets, while longer-form content such as films, series and live sports is still more likely to be watched on a television.
Smartphone ownership rises particularly sharply as children move into secondary school. Among 11- to 13-year-olds, 84.3% already own a smartphone, rising to 91.2% among 14- to 17-year-olds.
“The smartphone becomes teenagers’ primary personal device from a relatively early age,” says Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf. “Television continues to play an important role, but it is increasingly becoming the screen of choice for shared viewing experiences such as films, series and major live events.”
Television Brings People Together
Despite the continuing shift towards more individualised video consumption, watching together remains an important part of family life. Many families enjoy regular film and series nights, which they see as an opportunity to spend quality time together and create shared experiences.
The qualitative research shows that co-viewing is strongly associated with closeness, togetherness and shared memories. Longer-form content, including films, series and sporting events, is particularly likely to be watched together.
The quantitative findings confirm that, from parents’ perspective, traditional television continues to fulfil the role of a modern-day “campfire” around which the family gathers. Among children aged 3–6, 83.5% of parents say they always or often watch traditional television together with their children. Even among 14- to 17-year-olds, the figure remains 50.1%.
Individual viewing, by contrast, takes place primarily via streaming services and social media on smartphones and tablets. Television is therefore increasingly becoming the screen families deliberately choose when they want to spend time watching together.
“Traditional television is increasingly creating opportunities for shared experiences,” explains Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf. “Its ability to bring people together like a campfire remains particularly evident around major sporting events and moments of shared family time.”
Favourite Characters and Role Models Begin to Diverge at an Early Age
The study demonstrates that the role of video content changes significantly as children grow up. Younger children tend to favour familiar characters, easy-to-follow stories and age-appropriate programming. As they get older, social media, influencers, series and content with a stronger connection to real life become increasingly important.
Favourite content and role models evolve with age. Among children aged 1–2, PAW Patrol is one of the most frequently mentioned favourite programmes, with one in ten children in this age group identifying as a fan of the series.
PAW Patrol also leads by a wide margin among boys aged 3–6, while Peppa Pig and Bluey rank among the favourites of girls in the same age group.
Notably, at least half of the YouTube content watched by the youngest children consists of videos directly related to traditional television programmes and broadcaster brands. At this age, the platform and the television brand are therefore closely interconnected.
As children grow older, online creators, influencers and gaming personalities increasingly move into the spotlight. Video content plays a growing role in helping teenagers make sense of the world, find inspiration and shape their own identities.
Among 14- to 17-year-olds, role models are particularly likely to include influencers focused on lifestyle, specific interests or the promotion of particular attitudes and values.
“For children and teenagers today, video content is about much more than entertainment,” says Kerstin Niederauer-Kopf. “It is a source of inspiration, helps them navigate their social environment and forms part of their personal development.”
Social Media Becomes an Integral Part of Life from School Age
By the time children leave primary school at the latest, social media has become an established part of their everyday lives.
Comedy content and memes are popular across all age groups. Among girls aged 14–17, beauty and fashion videos are the most frequently mentioned genre, at 46.8%, while gaming and e-sports videos lead among boys of the same age, at 47.0%.
There is, however, a significant gap between passive consumption and active posting. Across all age groups, simply watching content is far more common than publishing content of their own.
When it comes to a potential social media ban, the study shows that parental support for such a measure decreases as children get older. Overall, 70.3% of parents surveyed said they would support a social media ban.
At the same time, the findings underline just how deeply social media has become embedded in children’s and teenagers’ everyday lives and communication, particularly once they reach school age.
Children and Teenagers Are Shaping the Future of Media Consumption
Children and teenagers have long been among the audience groups quickest to respond and adapt to changes in the media landscape. They are often the first to embrace new platforms and new ways of watching content, placing them at the forefront of changing video consumption habits.
For AGF, gaining an in-depth understanding of what younger audiences watch and how they watch it is therefore particularly important.
“The AGF Next Gen Video Study 2026 gives us a robust empirical foundation that allows us both to validate trends identified in AGF panel measurement among this particularly challenging audience group and to place them in a broader context. This helps us continue to develop and refine our research tools,” concludes Niederauer-Kopf.
Source: agf.de