Johnny Clegg dominates Google SA search, and FaceApp prompts curiosity

19 July 2019 - 08:41 By TimesLIVE
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Johnny Clegg performs at the Royal Albert Hall in London on March 27 2013.
Johnny Clegg performs at the Royal Albert Hall in London on March 27 2013.
Image: Jo Hale/Redferns via Getty Images

South Africans generated more than 500,000 search queries on SA music icon Johnny Clegg on Tuesday, after the Juluka musician succumbed to pancreatic cancer, dominating public interest on all topics on Google Search for the week.

More than 200,000 search queries were generated for “Marc Batchelor” on Monday after the former soccer star was gunned down outside his Olivedale home in Gauteng, said Google SA. Investigations into the shooting are ongoing. 

The digital fad FaceApp was also among the most searched topics on the internet this week.

South Africans generated more than 100,000 search queries for “Face App” on Wednesday. The two-year-old app uses artificial intelligence to create a rendering of what users might look like in a few decades. FaceApp went viral as users posted their aged likenesses on social media in the #faceappchallenge. Privacy experts, however, warned that the app (made in Russia) may pose a threat to users’ privacy as it stores photos on its servers, said the Google SA statement.

Jacob Zuma” also garnered more than 100,000 search queries on Monday as he made his first, much-anticipated appearance before the Zondo Commission on state capture. Last Friday, South Africans entered more than 20,000 search queries for “Duduzane Zuma” as the Randburg Magistrate's Court found the former first son not guilty of a charge of culpable homicide relating to a 2014 car crash. 

On Wednesday, 50,000 search queries were registered for “Mandela Day”.

Serena Williams” garnered more than 50,000 searches on Saturday as the tennis superstar suffered a 6-2, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Simona Halep, in a Wimbledon final that lasted just 56 minutes.

- Search trends information is gleaned from data collated by Google based on what South Africans have been searching for and asking Google.


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