Google released, on Monday, the most searched topics lists for 2023 in the Middle East and North Africa region.
The annual lists, provided by Google on its official website, reveal the search terms that experienced substantial growth compared to the previous year. The lists cover various topics, including news, platforms, events, movies, series, sports matches, and personalities searched for by individuals in different countries.
The conflict in Gaza topped the news searches in most Arab countries, including Palestine, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.
User interests varied in terms of events that caught their attention during internet browsing. In Saudi Arabia, football took the lead, primarily due to the multiple events held throughout the year, especially the match between Saudi team Al-Hilal and Real Madrid, which became one of the most searched matches.
In 2023, Saudis also showed interest in the launch of the new Riyadh airline, the decline of the Pakistani rupee, and the “Burger Disease,” according to Google’s list of popular topics in Saudi Arabia.
Sports also dominated the “Google Search” users in the UAE, with significant interest in cricket matches, especially the one between India and Sri Lanka. Additionally, local and international events, such as the annual technology conference GITEX 2023, COP28 conference, UFC 294 mixed martial arts championship, and natural disasters, including earthquakes in Morocco, Syria, and Turkey, drew attention.
In Egypt, the crisis of the devaluation of the Egyptian pound significantly captured the internet users’ interest, along with the earthquake that hit several Egyptian provinces at the beginning of this year and the Sudan crisis.
Google’s list also featured a wide variety of the most popular personalities this year. In Egypt, football player Imam Ashour topped the list following significant interest generated by his move from Zamalek Club to Egypt’s Al-Ahly Club in July.
Actress Jouri Bakr also stood out, making her debut in the Ramadan series “Jaafar Al-Umda,” along with TV host Bassem Youssef after his interview with the renowned British presenter Piers Morgan.
In Saudi Arabia, the list of personalities included football players like Mitrovic and Karim Benzema at the top.
Drama and cinema had their share of internet searches in 2023, with movies like “Openheimer,” “Barbie,” and “Jawam” leading the most searched films. As for TV series, “Shabab Al-Bomb 11,” “Jaafar Al-Umda,” and “Saffah Al-Giza” topped the list.
User interests in their favorite online platforms and services also varied. UAE users extensively searched for Generative AI Platforms such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Bing Chat, recently renamed Copilot, along with the new social platform Threads from Meta and the new Snapchat Web launched by Snap this year.
In Saudi Arabia, local platforms dominated users’ interests, with services like “Absher,” “Jadaraat,” “Etimad,” and “Saham.”
The situation was slightly different in Egypt, where the results of the general secondary school were at the top of search operations. The “Tazkarty” ticket booking service for matches and concerts came in second place, and the “Bastetha Lek” platform, allowing high school students to communicate with teachers for explanations and answers to their academic questions, ranked third.
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