The 10 most discussed events of 2014
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Facebook's 2014 in Review details the 10 biggest moments on the social media behemoth this year.
The No 1 spot belongs to the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil. It triggered more conversations than any other event in Facebook history.
Players used Facebook to post photos and updates throughout the tournament, giving people behind-the-scenes access to their favourite teams.
In the final, Mario Goetze scored a goal in extra time to hand Germany victory over Argentina, leading to massive celebrations on the streets of Berlin.
The Ebola virus outbreak came in at No 2. Since March, the most widespread Ebola outbreak in history has claimed the lives of thousands of people.
It is followed by the elections in Brazil. This year’s presidential election in Brazil was one of the most discussed and hotly debated in the country’s history.
Robin Williams came in at No 4. In August, the legendary comedian and actor committed suicide. Fans and public figures around the world paid tribute to the star.
The fifth biggest event was the Ice Bucket Challenge. Between June and September, people around the world shared more than 17 million Ice Bucket Challenge videos on Facebook to raise awareness for ALS, a neuro-degenerative disease.
The US, Australia and New Zealand were the top participating countries. The ALS Association received more US$100 million (Bt3.2 billion) in donations after the challenge went viral.
That was followed by the conflict in Gaza. In July, ongoing tension between Israelis and Palestinians erupted into a conflict that lasted seven weeks. Both sides agreed to an open-ended ceasefire on August 22.
Malaysia Airlines occupies the No 7 spot. The world took notice when two Malaysia Airlines planes were lost within months of each other.
In March, Beijing-bound Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared with 239 passengers on board, resulting in one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history.
In July, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down near the village of Grabove, Ukraine.
At No 8 is the Super Bowl. In February, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos 43-8 to win Super Bowl XLVIII.
Michael Brown/Ferguson was the ninth most discussed subject. The shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, led to protests and heated debates in the US and abroad.
After a three-month deliberation, the grand jury decided not to indict the officer on any charges, which sparked more protests around the country.
Tenth spot was taken by the Sochi Olympics. In February, the 22nd Winter Olympic Games commenced in Sochi, Russia.
The most talked-about athletes on Facebook include Winter Olympic participants, like snowboarders Shaun White and Jenny Jones, ice hockey player TJ Oshie and figure skater Yuna Kim.
Meanwhile, the top 10 topics in the United States on Facebook were: the Ebola virus outbreak; the Ice Bucket Challenge; Robin Williams; the Super Bowl; Michael Brown/Ferguson; the Fifa World Cup; the conflict in Gaza; the US mid-term elections; Malaysia Airlines; and ISIS.
The top 10 places in the United States on Facebook are Disney Properties; Universal Studios Hollywood; Times Square; Yosemite National Park; Grand Canyon National Park; Yellowstone National Park; Yankee Stadium; the Las Vegas strip; the Hollywood Walk of Fame; and Madison Square Garden.
The review is available at http://yearinreview.fb.com/.
