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Google Reveals the Most-Trending Searches of 2017 (google.com)

"Google's annual list of the most popular searches is here, offering a peek into what people are really thinking about," writes CNN. An anonymous reader quotes their report: This year, you wanted to know more about one of the most powerful storms on record, the devastating Hurricane Irma. But you were also curious about [hip hop artist] Cardi B. and Unicorn Frappuccinos... Like 2017 itself, this year's top searches skew a little darker than usual, but are punctuated with some whimsy and positive moments. The top trending searches in the U.S. were Irma, Matt Lauer, Tom Petty, the Super Bowl and the Las Vegas shooting.

To determine the most popular trending searches, Google looked at its trillions of queries, filtered out spam and repeats, and identified searches that had the highest uptick in traffic compared with the previous year. It breaks them into categories like news, memes, and recipes (beef stroganoff was a hit).

Surprisingly there were more searches for 'iPhone 8" than for 'iPhone X," though those were the top two most-searched consumer technology products. (Followed by Nintendo Switch, Samsung Galaxy S8, and Xbox One X.) Other top searches this year included "What is net neutrality?" as well as questions about what bitcoin is, how to buy it, and the latest bitcoin prices. And one of the 10 most-searched phrases of the year was "fidget spinner."

Google uploaded an inspiring video to YouTube stating "This year more than ever we asked how." To dramatic music, the examples it gives include "How to calm a dog during a storm," "How to help Puerto Rico," "How to make a protest sign" -- and "How to move forward."

6 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. Thought "Fake News" would feature up there... by bogaboga · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Perhaps the idea of "Fake News" is fake itself!

  2. Re:Host Files by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

    Why would they search for it? Everyone already has it!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  3. This is NOT the most popular by Tiggywinkle · · Score: 2

    This is the trending searches, NOT the most popular, everyone is reading these graphs wrong. From google themselves:

    "Lists are based on search terms that had a high spike in traffic in 2017 as compared to 2016."

  4. How to make a protest sign by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 2

    "How to make a protest sign." Good Lord.

    As though that were some positive feel good thing, like the others mentioned.

    (Not to mention, seriously? You can't figure out how to make a sign? But you want to influence serious things?)

  5. expurgation by Reverend+Green · · Score: 2

    At this point I think we all recognize that one can't really trust anything Google says.

    Far more interesting than what's on the list, would be to know what Google censored from it.

  6. Re:How to make a protest sign by dj245 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "How to make a protest sign." Good Lord.

    As though that were some positive feel good thing, like the others mentioned.

    (Not to mention, seriously? You can't figure out how to make a sign? But you want to influence serious things?)

    People who are dissatisfied with others telling them what to do are just searching for a more controlling and manipulative person to tell them what to do.

    --
    Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.