It’s likely that in 2014, you’ve logged onto Facebook or went surfing on YouTube only to feel a little piece of your soul die after seeing what your friends are sharing and talking about. It would only be reasonable then, to assume that Facebook’s most talked-about stories of the year would involve things like Kim Kardashian’s bare ass or Honey Boo-Boo’s very confused mother. Turns out, you’ve assumed incorrectly, and we as humanity just might make it to 2015.
The most talked about stories on Facebook worldwide in 2014 were highlighted by Facebook itself for a “Year in Review” feature. The World Cup not only took the #1 spot, but was the most talked-about story in Facebook history, with fans posting from around the world, and players themselves documenting the international tournament with photo and video updates. This statistic clearly shows that while each country had its own representative, and the competitive spirit to go with it, for over a month, the world was united unlike ever before through sports and social media. All of the topics in the top 10 feel as though they should be there (and countdowns never work out that way, just look at Rolling Stone). From Ferguson to Ebola to Ice Buckets to the passing of Robin Williams, it appears as though Facebook had more constructive things to talk about in 2014 than you might think. See for yourself:
2014 Topics of the Year on Facebook:
1. World Cup
2. Ebola Virus Outbreak
3. Elections in Brazil
4. Robin Williams
5. Ice Bucket Challenge
6. Conflict in Gaza
7. Malaysia Airlines
8. Super Bowl
9. Michael Brown/Ferguson
10. Sochi Olympics
YouTube is a different story, but not necessarily a bad one. Keep in mind that the average age of a YouTube user is younger than the average Facebook user, but also keep in mind that there’s A TON of garbage on YouTube. That said, there are some interesting picks in here. Sure, there’s a fair share of mindless stuff (see numbers 8 and 9), but others include sports videos, singers, and social experiments. Not bad considering teens lighting themselves on fire and “Frozen” parodies were highly publicized this year. Take a look:
Top Trending Videos on YouTube in 2014:
1. Mutant Giant Spider Dog (SA Wardega) by SA Wardega
2. Nike Football: Winner Stays. ft. Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., Rooney, Ibrahimović, Iniesta & more by Nike Football
3. FIRST KISS by Tatia PIlieva
4. The Voice IT | Serie 2 | Blind 2 | Suor Cristina Scuccia – #TEAMJ-AX by TheVoiceOf Italy
5. iPhone 6 Plus Bend Test by Unbox Therapy
6. Bars & Melody – Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer act | Britain’s Got Talent 2014 by Britain’s Got Talent
7. Budweiser Super Bowl XLVIII Commercial — “Puppy Love” by Budweiser
8. Devil Baby Attack by DevilsDueNYC
9. Goku vs Superman. Epic Rap Battles of History Season 3. by ERB
10. 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman by Street HarassmentVideo
