GDPR is currently searched for more than Beyoncé on Google
We didn't know it was possible to care about anything more than we care about Beyoncé. But apparently people around the world care more about GDPR right now than they do about Queen Bey.
Um, what on earth?
Per Google Trends, search interest in the term GDPR—a.k.a. Europe's new General Data Protection Regulation—is currently higher than interest in Beyoncé. The unusual twist of events was first spotted by Quartz.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that GDPR appears to be outranking Beyoncé in search interest at the present time. And, the Google Trends public search tool also shows that GDPR is basically more popular than Beyoncé right now.
According to the trends map shown below, interest in GDPR superseded interest in Beyoncé around 13 May. At the time of publication, Google ranked interest in Beyoncé at a value of 29, while GDPR's value was 33.
The main question now is: what kind of world are we living in?
So, once we've calmed ourselves from our very understandable outrage, let us assess why GDPR is currently so ~hot~.
GDPR comes into effect in a matter of days—on 25 May, in fact. Given that we're inching ever nearer, people are likely looking for news and information about how they'll be affected.
Essentially, on 25 May, the European Union will introduce new comprehensive personal data protections, which will limit how tech companies collect and use your data. The rules will make sure tech companies let users know exactly how their data is used too.
It seems that GDPR, just like Beyoncé, will have a positive impact on our lives.
Topics Celebrities
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
