The most frequently Googled phrases of the year offer a window into our greatest fears and fascinations.
Google has unveiled its annual “Year in Search” review, which offers insight into the most frequently searched terms worldwide. Each year, the report captures our most pressing questions, greatest fears and the events that arrested our attention, but the 2020 edition is perhaps a little more predictable than most. It will be a surprise to no one that this year’s rankings are dominated by the pandemic, either directly or by proxy. “Coronavirus” tops the overall rankings, while “coronavirus update” and “coronavirus symptoms” sit in seventh and eighth respectively. Widespread national lockdowns also drove a massive spike in search related to remote working and home schooling, as highlighted by “Zoom” in fourth position and “Google Classroom” at number ten.
