Facebook and Twitter aid mobile web momentum

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Social networking sites are being credited with helping mobile web use to grow, with a third of young people regularly accessing Facebook and Twitter while on the move.

So claims research by analyst CSS Insight, which surveyed more than 1,000 adults between 16 and 35 – an age group considered to be the most tech savvy.

Men are also championing mobile web use, with more than twice as many of them accessing the net on the move compared with their female counterparts.

“The web is revolutionising the way people use mobile phones. Forget music downloads and video – social networking is what people want. Media owners and operators will have to find new ways to make money from their assets,” said Paolo Pescatore, report author and head of mobile content at CCS Insight, in a statement.

“And it’s clear from the report that the industry could do a better job marketing to women. Some networks and phone-makers have got it right. Their rivals are leaving money on the table.”

The research also found that younger people don’t want to pay for multimedia content such as a music or video, which they expect for free.

When it comes to the service most in demand, the majority of people said they’d love to be able to use the BBC iPlayer on their mobiles.

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