Social networking on mobiles on the up

Social networking is bringing in more people into the use of mobile internet in Europe, it has emerged.

According to comScore figures, 34 per cent of mobile phone owners in Western Europe who went on social networking websites visited social media sites “exclusive of all other mobile web content”.

Mobile social networking is quickly growing in Western Europe as during the period between November 2007 to November 2008 the category expanded by 125 per cent.

There are now 12.1 million users of mobile social networking in Western Europe.

Alistair Hill, analyst at comScore M:Metrics, commented: “This development is encouraging for the future of the mobile internet.”

“Social networking is taking the mobile internet… into the mainstream.”

The UK has the highest penetration of mobile social networking with nine per cent.

Meanwhile, Graham Sharpe, media relations manager at William Hill, recently commented that there were limits on mobile technology, which had contributed to the sluggish uptake of mobile gaming.