The search engine company Google has disclosed what people have been looking for online this year.
According to its results, many have taken to the web in 2014 to find online news providers that were supplying information about a range of topics, from elections to celebrity deaths. With around two out of every three web searches made through Google, its annual list often provides telling insights into the Internet’s zeitgeist.
Globally, Robin Williams topped the list of Google searches this year. The respected actor and comedian passed away earlier this year, prompting many to take to the web to find more information about his life.
However, the Hunger Games actor Jennifer Lawrence was found to have topped the search firm’s list of ‘People’.
Back to the most searched terms, the top three was filled out by the World Cup, followed by Ebola. The pandemic in Africa topped the ‘Global News’ section as well, with many British users also asking ‘What is Ebola?’.
In the UK, there were a number of intriguing results. In the television category, despite a big year for drama, the programme that was most looked for was Peppa Pig. Coming top of the list, it beat out big names like Game of Thrones, EastEnders and Coronation Street.
For news, the Malaysian Airways disaster had most users looking for more information about it, and the Scottish independence referendum was also in the top three. Between the two, however, was the famous bite on another player by then Liverpool footballer Luis Suarez.
Britons were also wondering ‘how to draw’, ‘who is Banksy’, and ‘what is love’.
Here’s the list in full:
Breakthrough Celebrity Females
1. Ariana Grande
2. Kylie Minogue
3. Kim Kardashian
4. Zoella
5. Sia
Breakthrough Celebrity Males
1. Pharrell Williams
2. Benedict Cumberbatch
3. George Clooney
4. Jay Z
5. Nigel Farage
Cake Recipes
1. Chocolate Cake
2. Lemon Drizzle Cake
3. Banana Cake
4. Carrot Cake
5. Sponge Cake
Departed Celebrities
1. Peaches Geldof
2. Robin Williams
3. Rik Mayall
4. Phillip Seamour Hoffman
5. Joan Rivers
Holiday Destinations
1. Paris
2. New York
3. Australia
4. Spain
5. Cornwall
How to…
1. Draw
2. Kiss
3. Crochet
4. Meditate
5. Knit
News Stories
1. Malaysian Airways Disasters
2. Luis Suarez Bite
3. Scottish Independence Referendum
4. Sir Cliff Richard Allegations
5. Celebrity Photo Hacking
Recipe Searches
1. Burgers
2. Shortbread
3. Gingerbread
4. Flapjacks
5. Lasagna
TV Shows
1. Peppa Pig
2. Eastenders
3. Game of Thrones
4. Big Brother
5. Coronation Street
What is…?
1. Ebola
2. ALS
3. Love
4. Fracking
5. Autism
Who is…?
1. Banksy
2. Frenchy
3. Dappy
4. Hamas
5. Sia
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