Google’s top searches peer into society’s mindset
Death, devices and celebrity drove the quest for more information on Google’s search engine this year.
Three of the world’s four fastest-rising search requests on Google were triggered by the deaths of famous men.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela, who died earlier this month, occupied the top spot. Next up was “Fast & Furious” movie star Paul Walker, who died in a Nov. 30 car crash. “Glee” TV series cast member Cory Monteith, who died of a drug overdose in July, ranked fourth in the retrospective released Tuesday.
The iPhone 5S, the latest upgrade in Apple’s most popular product line, finished third in Google Inc.’s rankings. Another smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S4, took the eighth spot. PlayStation 4, Sony Corp.’s newest video game console, held the ninth position.
