Australians talked about sport, politics and tragedy on Facebook in 2017
Facebook today released its year in review data, illustrating the most talked about Australian topics on the platform in 2017.
Facebook announces Year in Review data – the most talked about topics on the platform for 2017
In 2017, Australians came together to connect about key moments of sport, politics and tragedy
Most Talked-About Topics in Australia 2017
- International Women’s Day
- Melbourne Cup
- Same-sex marriage decision
- Qantas
- Chris Cornell’s Death
- Attorney General George Brandis
- Floyd Mayweather Jr./ Conor Mcgregor Boxing Match
- Linkin Park/Chester Bennington’s death
- Roger Federer
- Manchester Attack
On this news Mia Garlick, Director of Policy for Australia & New Zealand, Facebook said:
“In 2017, 15 million Australians on Facebook came together to connect and share with family and friends about topics that matter to them most, with key moments in sport, politics and world events the focus of the conversation.”
“This year, International Women’s Day was the most talked about topic on the platform, with conversation driven by the Women’s March, which ranked in the top ten global list, as well as the #metoo movement. Coming second was the Melbourne Cup, the race that stops the nation, and a day where many Australians share fashion finds and race tips on the platform.”
“Placing third was same-sex marriage, as people from across the country shared opinions from both sides of the debate. The fourth most discussed topic was Qantas, with the flying kangaroo sharing some big announcements, including the Dreamliner, as well as becoming an often-cited example about the role of corporate Australia in the same-sex marriage debate. Rounding out the top five was the passing of iconic rocker and front-man for Soundgarden, Chris Cornell.”
Politics:
- 2018 was a big year for conversations by and about women, with International Women’s Day (1) leading the charge. Notable events included:
- International Women’s Day, which kicked off the discussion around women in March, with women sharing tributes and participating in live conversations about the importance of the day to them and the community
- The Woman’s March, which made it to the top ten global list
- The #metoo campaign, which had 4.7milllion mentions within the first twenty hours
- Australians came to Facebook to voice their thoughts on the same-sex marriage debate (3). For this widely-debated topic, Australians argued both the yes and no opinions on the platform.
- Interestingly this issue was 11th in 2016 and with the postal survey, High Court challenge, and ultimately the decision handed down, it has risen to third.
- Our national carrier, Qantas (4) had a big year, with some significant announcements. This included the Dreamliner, as well as the accompanying naming competition. Additionally, the company’s opinion on the same-sex marriage debate resulted in it becoming an often-cited example around the role of corporate Australia on topical issues.
- Attorney General and Leader of the Government in the Senate, George Brandis (6) has been a vocal spokesperson for many of the government’s issues of the day, including religious freedoms, hate speech and immigration. Senator Brandis, has also made some signature speeches in the Senate chamber this year, including one in which Pauline Hanson wore a burka and another around the same-sex marriage debate.
Sport:
- The leading sporting event was Melbourne Cup (2), or the race that stops the nation, which was the second biggest moment on Facebook in 2017. This is a day the day many of us frock up – and who doesn’t want to share an image looking their best? Alternatively, discussion was also driven by the impact of the race on the health of the horses involved.
- The fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Conor McGregor (7), which was labelled the fight of the century, was also one of the most discussed topics on the platform.
- Tennis player Roger Federer (9) had a huge year, with two Grand Slam titles, including the local Australian Open, and a huge rise in the ATP ranking.
Tragedies
- Passing of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell (5) was a reminder of the impact music has on our lives, with many Australians sharing not just their shock and sadness when they learned of his passing, but also their favourite song.
- Similarly, the passing of Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington (8) also had an impact on Australians, as many used the platform to mourn the iconic rocker.
- Finally, following the Manchester Attacks (10) many in Australia and globally came together on the platform. One Love Manchester, the concert by Ariana Grande,went viral with videos from the concert having 80 million views.
Source: From a Facebook media release
