Google has unveiled its annual list of key trends and topics, providing a look at the highs and lows of 2021 and an insightful trip down memory lane.
The tech giant is the world’s most popular search engine, and at the end of each year it publishes a report on the most searched questions and topics.
a difficult year
As the pandemic spread across the world, we entered the year 2021 with a popular search term that reflected the spirit of the time: “doomscrolling”.
This term describes the act of constantly scrolling your phone screen, waiting for more bad news.
According to Google, the term “doomscrolling” is searched “more than ever” around the world, peaking in January.
For many people around the world, it was a time of uncertainty and crisis. Borders have been closed, flights suspended and containment measures put in place.
Internet users searched for the latest news from COVID-19 and many of them saw the word that described exactly what they were doing: doomscrolling.
mental health
In 2021, global research on “mental health” reached an all-time high, after a year of isolation in which many struggled with the loneliness and grief of loved ones.
The world demands “how to keep sanity” and “how to heal” more than ever.
Another sign we’re paying more attention to our mental health, the terms “body positivity” and “affirmation,” which include making positive statements to ward off negative thoughts, are in more demand this year than ever before. .
Climate change
But it was not just our health, the well being of the planet was also in our thoughts.
From Hurricane Ida to drought and massive wildfires, the world has seen the devastating effects of climate change in 2021.
According to data from Google, we’re looking for greener, more efficient ways to live like never before. Research on “how to store” and “sustainability” has reached an all-time high around the world.
From big cities to tropical islands, the world has done more research on the “effects of climate change” than ever before.
Unsurprisingly, it is in Fiji, one of the countries most affected by climate change, where the most research is done.
money Matters
People are worried about their job security and the economy, mainly because of the financial uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
There has been an increased interest in being your own boss.
In 2021, the world looked to new entrepreneurial opportunities, looking for “how to start a business” instead of “how to find a job”.
In the United States alone, more than four million people left their jobs in October, according to a summary from the Department of Labor.
For some, the pandemic has been a time of hiatus to re-evaluate their priorities, prompting them to pursue more fulfilling careers or simply to find better salaries elsewhere.
Google, what is NFT?
Another topic of interest related to making money is NFTs.
NFTs or non-fungible tokens are digital images or works of art that can be “tokenized” to produce certificates of ownership, which can then be bought and sold.
NFTs have been around for a while, but our curiosity peaked when the first tweet by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey sold for $2.9 million.
We want to know more about this digital asset that has put the term NFT at the top of the list of things the world is looking to “create”.
royal figures
In March, Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle gave US host Oprah Winfrey their first TV interview since stepping down as senior royal officials.
Meghan and Harry’s interview has become “the most searched interview globally in the history of Google Trends”.
The couple have revealed their strained family ties with the British royalty and alleged talks about the color of their son Archie’s skin have made headlines around the world.
But this isn’t the only TV moment of 2021.
Korean Drama
Since most of us spend our time indoors, we had plenty of time to watch shows in front of the small screen.
The South Korean series Squid Game, which made its mark on Netflix, has been the world’s most wanted television series.
The story of a group of people who must survive a series of deadly games to earn some life-changing amount has captivated the world, making it the most-watched series of all time on Netflix .