The Top 100 Search Terms Queried by Kids
Security firm Symantec has identified the top 100 searches conducted by children online. Popular items in the list include some expected entries like YouTube, Facebook, and MySpace as well as queries for popular pop idols like Michael Jackson and Miley Cyrus. However, what's surprising about the children's list is how similar it looks to that of any other online adult - something which seems to imply that our online activities aren't all that age dependent after all.
Trend #1: Some Search Terms are All Grown Up
Online websites like YouTube, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook, and MySpace were popular online searches performed by children. YouTube actually ended up in three spots. Not only was the query "YouTube" the number one search term, it also landed spots 11 and 12 with "You Tube" and "YouTube.com" respectively. Actually, YouTube also earned spot #9 as well, if you count the query for "Fred," a popular fictional character whose YouTube channel is a current big hit with kids.
While there are a lot of indications that this is, indeed, a children's list thanks to searches for pop stars, games, music, and the phenomenon that is "Twilight," there are also a lot of similarities between this list and the one which you might expect to see if adult searches were culled in the same manner. The most shocking example of these similarities comes in at number 6: "porn." Ranking higher than the other innocent entries like Club Penguin (#22) and the online world of Webkinz (#16), it seems that kids, too, are drawn to this darker side of the internet. And "porn" isn't the only sexual term to make the list. Spots 4, 28, 72, 86, 88, 89, 91, 92, 94, and 95 also refer to queries for...well...lets say "various parts of the human anatomy" or other general search sex-related terms like "XXX."
Of course, this list may not be entirely representative of what all children search for online as the data is pulled from OnlineFamily.Norton, a family safety service provided by Symantec. It's possible that parents who chose to implement this type of service in their home are already dealing with children who are using the internet for inappropriate searches and this is their attempt to stop those from occurring. However, the results are based on 3.5 million searches made between February and July of this year, which is too large a number to entirely discount the findings.
Trend #2: Searching Instead of Entering URLs
Another somewhat unexpected insight gained by examining this data is the fact that kids are searching for easy-to-remember URLs including Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Yahoo, MSN, and even Google. Why search when simply adding a ".com" on the end will take you directly there? Some may say that this points to children not entirely grasping the way internet addresses work, but it's more likely an example of the trend where search has replaced typing in URLs for navigating the net.
We made note of this trend back in May of last year when we noticed an advertisement suggesting we do a search for their company name instead of providing their URL. Apparently, this is already par-for-the-course in Japan, where search boxes filled with recommended terms have replaced URLs in advertisements. Then there's Google's Chrome web browser, the newest one to hit the scene, which has done away with the search box entirely in favor of an address bar which accepts both URLs and search queries (taking you to Google.com of course).
It looks like today's kids are onto this trend as well. The habits they're forming now will most likely stay with them as they grow older, too, creating a whole new generation of searchers who forgo the "www' and the ".com" entirely.
Top Searches
The top 10 searches on the kids' list are as follows:
1. YouTube
2. Google
3. Facebook
4. Sex
5. MySpace
6. Porn
7. Yahoo
8. Michael Jackson
9. Fred
10. eBay
For the complete list, go here.
Image credit: flickr user pixelrobber
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Good post. I grew up googling the URL then clicking the 'I'm Feeling Lucky' button. If you think about it, there is actually less effort involved...
FYI, you can change the default search engine on chrome.
Who exactly is fred?
Good post. For me it would also be interesting to know if there is a whole profile what kids use in the internet. At most it would be interesting to know if they do reviews for books, audio cds and games. Actually it's very hard to differ if there's a market for that.
This post really makes sense!
This lets the readers to know the things that kids mostly do in the internet.This seems very interesting!
Fred is a popular/zany boy on YouTube, see him @ http://bit.ly/fredhaha
Nice article... I would swap the words kids/children out with the word Teenagers. Kids aren't looking at adult terms or fred's youtube channel.
This is pretty sad though, just a huge sign at the amount of parents that let the Internet babysit for them.
~Chris
Why shouldn't searching be the preferred method of finding things on the web. I already use Google to look up spelling and meanings of words. I'm now trying to figure out a way to get it to do grammar.
Doesn't all browsers take you to a search if you just type a word? Even firefox by default takes you to a google I'm Feeling Lucky search. And anyone using OpenDNS should take you to their own search page.
Posted by: civ2boss.myopenid.com
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August 12, 2009 8:07 AM
Chrome can take on to any search from the bar. I Bing. My world has flipped: I use a Google browser but search with Microsoft.
i don't see any particularly surprising results in that list : entertainment , sex and people
"sounds like teen spirit" :p
Regarding Trend #2 and the tendency for kids to use search in lieu of the address bar: I would be curious to see how many of the searches executed came from 1)kids typing a search engine URL into the address bar first, THEN executing a search vs 2) kids typing the search term directly into a search engine that has been designated as the "home"/"start page" for a browser upon start-up.
With so many browsers defaulting to a certain flavor of search engine upon installation, that search box is pretty front-and-center compared to an address bar way up top in the peripheral of the browser.
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Interesting list but a little suspect that is filled with Disney terms, actors and characters and not even one Nickelodeon reference. Something seems off. Or maybe Nickelodeon just does a better job of telling the kids what urls to go to so they don't have to search?
Spongebob anyone?
Am I the only one asking: are "porn" and "sex" coming up because parents checking these key words on regular basis to make sure Norton is working? I know I do!
Thank you for sharing, I thought.
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"This is pretty sad though, just a huge sign at the amount of parents that let the Internet babysit for them. ~Chris"
No, what's sad is that you're surprised at all. I promise you, no matter what any parent does to try to prevent it and no matter what the law may be, every 13 year old boy has seen at least one picture of boobs, no exceptions. If he can't get around Norton to see it, he'll download it via Limewire or just ask a friend at school who probably has them on his cell phone. Every teen male has seen them though, yours included, and a few teen girls too, though that's closer to 10% than 100%.
Not to get too far off topic, but can someone explain to me how when Juno gets pregnant at 13 years old it's a box office hit and everyone roots for her, but when any real life 13 year old girl gets knocked up all of a sudden it's time to crucify her and/or the boy? Could it be that as a society we don't actually feel like there's anything wrong with being open about our sexuality but due to fear of being shunned by everyone else we pretend to be appalled by every little thing? Just wondering...
Wait, what? Google was #2? Who searches for Google?
This is a cultural and habitual problem in this century. Although there are many software invented to block inappropriate online contents for kids, they are not really helpful for certain curious kids who can now access websites from their smart phones. Parents and teachers are the front liners to give the right advice to those kids.
Kigose
Multi Kids Search Engines
www.kigose.com
I guess it's the reality and kids will follow what we do.
It may be that users want to avoid "wasting time" by inputting incorrect or difficult addresses. One wrong symbol can easily frustrate the user. As address get easier, more will actually input.
I especially agree with Sarah. However (sadly), a lot of today's kids are dumbfounded and don't know what real comedy is, and this is coming from a 15 year old (16 in almost a week). Fred's popularity is proving how weak-minded some people in this society has become. And I'm not surprised that YouTube is the most popular with teens/kids.
just do it
...