Globally, 26 per cent of Internet users surf to social media sites via their mobile phones. In the UK, that percentage rises to 32 per cent, making British web surfers the world’s frontrunners in mobile social media usage.

These are the results of a study by research agency InSites Consulting across 14 countries and among 2,800 respondents.

The agency also found that mobile users are the most intensive visitors of social media sites and – given the positive evolution of mobile Internet – thus predicts further growth in the use of social media.

The study shows that surfers who consult social media via their mobiles log in an average of three times a day – the average for people without mobile access is 1.5 times a day. Mobile users are also more active when it comes to sending messages, uploading photos and becoming fans of brands.

Steven Van Belleghem (pictured), managing partner of InSites Consulting – which has research hubs in Ghent, Rotterdam, London and Geneva – said: “As a result of mobile Internet, consumers can immediately share their impressions with their network, which increases the spontaneity of these messages. Expectations for the growth of mobile Internet are positive, which means the use of social media will increase even more over the coming years."

But the research revealed that a quarter of British employees have no access to Facebook or other social network sites while they are at work – the UK is therefore one of the least tolerant countries in this regard: globally, just 20 per cent of employees are denied access to such websites and consumers in eastern Europe and Asia have the fewest limitations.

Such restrictions at work are actually short-sighted, Van Belleghem claims: "Companies which exclude their commercial people from social media are effectively cutting off their teams from consumers – sending the message that they are not interested in having a relationship with consumers."