Facebook in 2014: the most popular topics on the social network this year

It hasn’t been as good a year for Facebook as before, but it wasn’t bad either. The company launched two new apps — Messenger and Slingshot, with the former finding massive success (even if users won’t quite admit it) and the latter lurking in Snapchat’s ever-growing shadow.

But Facebook has also become something of a social network for news and events too. To celebrate its success, Facebook has launched yearinreview.fb.com — a site aimed at showcasing some of the analytics and statistics of Facebook and its users during the year 2014.

So what are some of the things users of Facebook are searching? Below is the list of the most talked about global topics of 2014, and the list is rather interesting:

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 Winter Olympics

For one, the Brazilian elections come in at third, above the massive viral phenomenon that was the Ice Bucket Challenge, suggesting that Facebook isn’t quite as silly a platform as many would like to believe.

Other events such as the Malaysian Airlines disasters, the Ferguson shooting and the Gaza conflict also found prominence on the social network, while Robin Williams was the most talked about person on the social network in fourth.

Read more: O Captain! my Captain: bidding farewell to Robin Williams

The World Cup held in Brazil this year “drove more conversation than any other event in Facebook history”, noted the company.

Facebook isn’t all about social commentary though. It has become something of a social gaming phenomenon too. Here’s the list of the platform’s top ten games of 2014:

1. Cookie Jam
2. Bubble Witch 2 Saga
3. Candy Crush Soda Saga
4. Klondike
5. Kim Kardashian: Hollywood
6. Old Vagas Slots
7. League of Angels
8. Hero Defense
9. SuperCity
10. Sparta: War of Empires

Notably, Kim Kardashian’s mega popular game comes in only fifth on the list, which restores our faith in humanity. Of course, the evergreen Candy Crush series features in the top ten as well.

In other categories, the most talked about South African destination this year was the Kruger National Park in the country’s north-east, followed by Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront and Durban’s uShaka Marine World.

For stats about the United States, check out Facebook’s official year in review site here.

Feature image: Facebook