The 2022 Year in Search — Themes and Insights report is based on searches that increased over a consistent period of time this year.
Johnny Depp
Leading the charge is actor Johnny Depp, who in December settled his defamation claims against Amber Heard following a high-profile trial earlier this year in which the former couple accused each other of physical and verbal abuse. .
Will Smith
Will Smith made headlines this year, not for his acting, but for slapping Oscars host Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about the actor's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The incident also ranked ninth in the top trending 'news' category. The consequences resulted in Smith being banned from the Oscars for the next 10 years.
Amber Heard
After the trial with actor Johnny Depp, Heard said the decision to settle was difficult: "I never chose this," she wrote on Instagram.
“I stood up for my truth and in doing so, my life as I knew it was destroyed. The abuse I've faced on social media is an amplified version of the ways in which women are revictimized when they come forward.”
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin ranked as the fourth most searched person on Google, reflecting how the war in Ukraine has dominated the headlines. Globally, 'Ukraine' was the single most searched news item and the third most popular search term.
Chris Rock
After the Smith vs Rock showdown, Oscars host Chris Rock is in fifth place on the list of the most searched people on Google this year worldwide. He also took fourth place as the most searched actor, while Jada Pinkett Smith took fifth place.
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic ranks sixth, along with being the most searched athlete on Google.
The 35-year-old Serbian was banned from competing at the Australian Open and the US Open for not being vaccinated, but still won his seventh Wimbledon title and the ATP Finals.
Anna Sorokin (Delvey)
German-Russian con artist Anna Delvey — or Anna Sorokin — takes seventh place after Netflix turned her exploits into the popular series Inventing Anna, which was nominated for three Emmy Awards.
Anna posed as a wealthy heiress and attempted to defraud hotels, banks and celebrities in New York City between 2013 and 2017.
Andrew Tate
Interest in British-American influencer and kickboxer Andrew Tate increased in August when he was banned from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube for violating each platform's community guidelines. The self-described "success coach" has come under fire online for what many see as misogynistic advice and toxic masculinity.
Rishi Sunak
After taking office as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, there was a flurry of Google searches for Rishi Sunak. He became the first non-white Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Simon Leviev
Another scammer is in the top ten most searched people on Google in 2022.
Simon Leviev, better known as the Netflix Tinder Cheater, went viral in February 2022. Israeli cheater convicted of theft, forgery and fraud. He allegedly took around $10 million from victims across Europe between 2017 and 2019.
The documentary revealed how Leviev conned many women after meeting them on the popular dating app.