Author Archives: anzprteam

A new choice for parents of tweens and teens on YouTube

“We’ve worked closely with YouTube on the complexities of redesigning their global platform to help ensure that the content children consume is diverse, high quality and age-appropriate. Getting this right is challenging – and requires ongoing discussions with global experts. A global platform will always need to keep innovating in response to emerging challenges, so it’s great to see that YouTube has processes in place to ensure that top notch expertise can guide its evolution.” - Prof Amanda Third, Young and Resilient Research Center Western Sydney University




This generation of tweens and teens has grown up online, and it’s where they go to learn, laugh, and connect. Every family has a different approach to how they use technology, access the internet and set digital ground rules. Over the years, we’ve made investments to protect families and kids on YouTube, such as launching a dedicated kids app, better protecting their privacy, restricting features and improving age restrictions. Today, we are announcing a new choice for parents who have decided their tweens and teens are ready to explore YouTube with a supervised account. 


Supervised experiences on YouTube 
From our earliest days, YouTube has been a platform for people over 13, and we’ve always recommended that parents co-watch with their kids if they choose to watch YouTube. In 2015, we created YouTube Kids, a safer destination for kids to explore their interests while providing parental controls. But since then, we’ve heard from parents and older children that tweens and teens have different needs, which weren’t being fully met by our products. As children grow up, they have insatiable curiosity and need to gain independence and find new ways to learn, create, and belong. 
Over the last year, we've worked with parents and experts across the globe in areas related to child safety, child development, and digital literacy to develop a solution for parents of tweens and teens. In the coming months, we’ll launch a new experience in beta for parents to allow their children to access YouTube through a supervised Google Account. This supervised experience will come with content settings and limited features. We’ll start with an early beta for families with kids under the age of consent to test and provide feedback, as we continue to expand and improve the experience. 


Giving parents content options on YouTube 
We know that every parent has a different parenting style and that every child is unique and reaches different developmental stages at different times. That’s why we’ll give parents the ability to choose from 3 different content settings on YouTube. 
  • Explore: For children ready to move on from YouTube Kids and explore content on YouTube, this setting will feature a broad range of videos generally suitable for viewers ages 9+, including vlogs, tutorials, gaming videos, music clips, news, educational content and more. 
  • Explore More: With content generally suitable for viewers ages 13+, this setting will include an even larger set of videos, and also live streams in the same categories as “Explore.” 
  • Most of YouTube: This setting will contain almost all videos on YouTube, except for age-restricted content, and it includes sensitive topics that may only be appropriate for older teens. 

This option was designed for parents who think their children are ready to explore the vast universe of YouTube videos. We will use a mix of user input, machine learning and human review to determine which videos are included. We know that our systems will make mistakes and will continue to evolve over time. 
We recommend parents continue to be involved in guiding and supporting their child’s experience on YouTube. To help parents get started, we’ve developed a guide in partnership with National PTA, Parent Zone and Be Internet Awesome. We’ll also launch an ongoing campaign that features creators discussing themes like bullying and harassment, misinformation, digital well-being and more. 


New features for families 
We understand the importance of striking a balance between empowering tweens and teens to more safely gain independence, while offering parents ways to set controls. In addition to choosing the content setting, parents will be able to manage watch and search history from within their child's account settings. Parents can also use other controls offered by Google’s Family Link, including screen timers. We’ll continue adding new parental controls over time, such as blocking content. 
When a parent grants access to YouTube, their child’s experience will feel much like regular YouTube, but certain features will be disabled to protect younger audiences. For example, we won't serve personalised ads or ads in certain categories. At launch, we'll also disable in-app purchases, as well as creation and comments features. Since self-expression and community are integral parts of YouTube and children's development, over time we'll work with parents and experts to add some of these features through an age-appropriate and parent controlled approach. 


Investing in YouTube Kids 
We’re building this new supervised experience for parents who think their older kids are ready to use YouTube, but we still recommend YouTube Kids for younger kids to watch independently and have a more contained viewing experience. 
With availability in over 80 countries, now over 35 million viewers use YouTube Kids every week. We’ll continue expanding product availability, adding new features, and offering several new parental tools, such as a highly-requested option for parents to select specific videos and channels from the main YouTube platform that they’d like their child to explore on YouTube Kids. 
We know that we have a long journey ahead of us as we design this experience for parents of tweens and teens. Over the long term, we hope this will provide a safer environment for older children to explore their interests, learn new skills, connect with communities that share their passions, while giving parents more ways to support their kids' online experience. 


Posted by James Beser, Director of Product Management, Kids and Family

Wear a mask, wash your hands, don’t reuse your password!

Parenting was especially challenging in 2020. Our families needed to learn new habits like social distancing, wearing masks and frequently washing our hands. As a large part of our everyday lives moved online, it was necessary to teach our children to take extra precautions as well. 
Parents have always been concerned for the digital safety of their families, and with online learning becoming the main mode of school for many, this might be even more of a concern. So we worked with our Trust and Safety Research team to survey parents all over Asia-Pacific, including here in Australia, and found that parents with children attending school online were more concerned about online safety than those whose children attended school in-person. 
As we moved to home working and learning, and children continued their education through digital means, 47% of Aussie parents expressed increased concern about online safety for their children. But interestingly, more than a third of parents interviewed said they had never spoken to their children about online safety, and only half of those interviewed said they were currently using online family safety features. 
As kids of different ages use the internet in very different ways, instilling safe habits can be a challenge. So today, on Safer Internet Day, here are some tips to address the top three parental concerns when it comes to keeping our children safe online. 

1. Protect their digital identities. 
The privacy and security of their children’s information was the top concern of parents we surveyed across all regions. Parents cited concerns around scams or hacking of their child’s accounts. Here are some simple ways to safeguard your kids’ information: 
  • Teach your children how to choose strong passwords that cannot be easily guessed. Avoid simple passwords that use names, birthdates, or even favourite cartoon characters. 
  •  It is also useful to stick to platforms that have a strong reputation for user safety. For instance, using an email service like Gmail comes with built-in safety filters to detect phishing emails, blocking 99.9% of phishing attacks from ever reaching your inbox. 

2. Know who they talk to. 
Social isolation is a difficult outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our children connect with their friends online, whether through messaging apps or voice chat while playing games. It is important for parents to be aware that these channels can also be used by ill-intentioned strangers to reach out to our children. Just as in real life, it is important to be aware of who our children talk to online. 
  • Try to talk to your kids about the games they play or the videos they watch, and also the people they play with online. I always remind my son to come to me immediately if he faces any situation online that makes him feel uncomfortable. More than 70% of parents in Asia-Pacific were not very confident that their children would come to them if they encountered unsafe situations online. Considering more than a third of the parents we interviewed had never spoken to their children about online safety we need to work hard to reassure our children that we are here to guide and protect them. 
  • When assessing if a game is suitable for your child, it is important to check not only the content of the game, but also whether the app allows online communications with others. Some multiplayer games allow only a few options for social interaction, like a thumbs up rather than a text chat. This reduces risks of unwanted social interactions by quite a lot. 

3. Offer appropriate content at the appropriate age. 
The fear of children encountering inappropriate content has long been among the top concerns of parents in surveys. There are family safety features that parents can use to help guard their children from content that may not be suitable for their age. However, we learned that only 50% of Aussie parents we surveyed are using these features. Here are some features that you can start using today: 
  • Turning on SafeSearch on Google helps filter out explicit content in Google’s search results for all searches, including images, videos and websites. SafeSearch is designed to help block explicit results like pornography from Google search results. 
  • Manage your child’s device by creating a Google account for your child and using Family Link. This allows you to add filters on Google Search, block websites or only give access to the ones you allow or track the location of your child if they have their own device. 
  • Many parental controls are available on YouTube Kids. You are able to limit screen time, only show videos that you approve or select suitable content based on the age of your child. 
Some other time-tested tips include allowing children to use the internet only in common areas in the home such as the living room. But the tough part is leading by example! 

At the end of the day, the core of parenting lies in the relationships we build with our children. They require our guidance on the internet as much as they do in the real world. 
Let’s work together to make the internet a safe place for our children to learn, create and explore. 

Posted by Samantha Yorke, Online Safety Lead, Government Affairs and Public Policy

Celebrating the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in today’s Doodle

Today, as we collectively recognise the 1840 signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Google New Zealand’s Doodle depicts Te Whare Rūnanga - an important landmark of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds - in acknowledgement of Waitangi Day.



Nestled in the far northern Bay of Islands, surrounded by 140 subtropical islands, Waitangi stands out both for its beauty and for the history it carries for Aotearoa. These grounds are often referred to as “Te Pito Whenua, The Birthplace of our Nation” in reference to the site where New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Upon this significant place, standing proudly is Te Whare Rūnanga (the House of Assembly) which, alongside the Treaty House, is representative of the partnership between Māori and the British Crown. 


Opened on the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi as a place to bring people together for important hui (meetings), visitors from all over New Zealand and the world have come to gather at and observe the Whare as one of the most important historical sites for Aotearoa. The unique carvings and intricate tukutuku panels in the Whare design represent Māori throughout Aotearoa as it brings together the stories and styles of all Iwi (tribes), and thus showcases a completely unique gallery of Māori art, as well as an example of Māori social and cultural life. 


Waitangi Treaty Grounds Cultural Manager Mori Rapana was consulted throughout the Doodle design process and said, “In Māori culture, the structure itself is seen as an outstretched body, with the roof’s apex at the front of the house representing the ancestor’s head. The main ridge beam represents the backbone, the diagonal bargeboards which lead out from the roof are the arms and the lower ends of the bargeboards divide to represent fingers. Inside, the centre pole is seen as the heart, the rafters reflect the ancestor’s ribs, and the interior is the ancestor’s chest and stomach.”


I interpret the lines on either side of the green base as representing hands holding up the Whare and thus bringing us as a nation together. The flicks on either side of the whare to me represent a bird spreading its wings, and the outline of the drawing to represent the wings of a kite - which in Māori culture is what brought the East and the West coast together.”


Kiwis all over New Zealand can also take a journey through the Waitangi Treaty Grounds today, through Inside the Treaty Grounds, a digital experience on Google Arts and Culture. Captured in 2017 in partnership with CyArk, to celebrate and share the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Kiwis and those abroad alike can learn and explore more about this historic site. On mobile devices, searching for “Waitangi Treaty Grounds” brings up an AR experience that allows you to view the Meeting House in your own space.


Search on mobile device for 'Waitangi Treaty Grounds' to view in your space


Together with our partners, we’re privileged to help celebrate and preserve the Waitangi Treaty Grounds through technology, to share this history and culture with the world.



Post content Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Country Director Google New Zealand.

Celebrating the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in today’s Doodle

Today, as we collectively recognise the 1840 signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Google New Zealand’s Doodle depicts Te Whare Rūnanga - an important landmark of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds - in acknowledgement of Waitangi Day.



Nestled in the far northern Bay of Islands, surrounded by 140 subtropical islands, Waitangi stands out both for its beauty and for the history it carries for Aotearoa. These grounds are often referred to as “Te Pito Whenua, The Birthplace of our Nation” in reference to the site where New Zealand's Treaty of Waitangi was signed. Upon this significant place, standing proudly is Te Whare Rūnanga (the House of Assembly) which, alongside the Treaty House, is representative of the partnership between Māori and the British Crown. 


Opened on the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi as a place to bring people together for important hui (meetings), visitors from all over New Zealand and the world have come to gather at and observe the Whare as one of the most important historical sites for Aotearoa. The unique carvings and intricate tukutuku panels in the Whare design represent Māori throughout Aotearoa as it brings together the stories and styles of all Iwi (tribes), and thus showcases a completely unique gallery of Māori art, as well as an example of Māori social and cultural life. 


Waitangi Treaty Grounds Cultural Manager Mori Rapana was consulted throughout the Doodle design process and said, “In Māori culture, the structure itself is seen as an outstretched body, with the roof’s apex at the front of the house representing the ancestor’s head. The main ridge beam represents the backbone, the diagonal bargeboards which lead out from the roof are the arms and the lower ends of the bargeboards divide to represent fingers. Inside, the centre pole is seen as the heart, the rafters reflect the ancestor’s ribs, and the interior is the ancestor’s chest and stomach.”


I interpret the lines on either side of the green base as representing hands holding up the Whare and thus bringing us as a nation together. The flicks on either side of the whare to me represent a bird spreading its wings, and the outline of the drawing to represent the wings of a kite - which in Māori culture is what brought the East and the West coast together.”


Kiwis all over New Zealand can also take a journey through the Waitangi Treaty Grounds today, through Inside the Treaty Grounds, a digital experience on Google Arts and Culture. Captured in 2017 in partnership with CyArk, to celebrate and share the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, Kiwis and those abroad alike can learn and explore more about this historic site. On mobile devices, searching for “Waitangi Treaty Grounds” brings up an AR experience that allows you to view the Meeting House in your own space.


Search on mobile device for 'Waitangi Treaty Grounds' to view in your space


Together with our partners, we’re privileged to help celebrate and preserve the Waitangi Treaty Grounds through technology, to share this history and culture with the world.



Post content Posted by Caroline Rainsford, Country Director Google New Zealand.

Marvel at Maria Island with today’s Google Doodle

January 26 stirs a full spectrum of emotions for Australians across the country. It can be a day of pride or protest. A day to rejoice, reflect or reexamine our history. Or for some, perhaps it’s just any old Tuesday.

Whatever the tone of the day, Australians are bound by a love for our land, the seas that surround us and our extraordinary wildlife. Now more than ever, we’ve been prompted to treasure our natural wonders – as this time last year, our heroic firefighters battled Australia’s worst raging bushfires in modern history. 


So, as we honour the many marvels of our island home today, we’re taking a virtual trip to a spectacular island just off Tassie, Maria Island. 

Maria island is home to a unique collection of mammal, marine, and avian species – and has been categorised as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. This includes one of Australia’s rarest birds and the star of today’s Google Doodle, the forty-spotted pardalote. This precious bird is about 9-10 cm long, with a light olive green body and distinctive white dots. It is depicted nestled in its natural habitat, the dry eucalypt forest where white gum (Eucalyptus viminalis) occurs. The tiny pardalote is the first Australian bird known to forage a sugary sap called manna by snipping the leaf stalks of gum trees. Maria Island supports the highest breeding population of forty-spotted pardalotes in Tasmania, which plays an important role in maintaining the forest’s vitality and managing insect pest populations. 

Whether you’re in Tassie or Townsville, we invite you to explore Maria Island on Street View and get inspired for your next trip. You can discover ancient clams, sea fans, corals of the Fossil Cliffs walk – and the vibrant colours and swirling patterns of the Painted Cliffs walk. 

Today’s Google Doodle was developed in collaboration with Tasmanian Aboriginal community and Elders. We respectfully acknowledge the Tasmanian Aboriginal communities and Elders past and present.



Posted by Daniel Nadasi, Engineering Site Lead, Google Australia

New Zealand’s Top Trending Videos & Creators for 2020

As The World Changed, This Is What You Were Watching 


Startling unsuspecting bystanders with perfect Chinese pronunciation. Global news outlets marvelling at New Zealand’s COVID response. An astonishing time lapse of productivity to build an underground house.


While 2020 may have been a little different to what we expected, Kiwis sought escapism and humour in what they chose to watch on YouTube.


As the world changed in unimaginable ways, we looked to creators and artists to help us make sense of these shifts, find wonder, and expand our boundaries beyond the four walls of our homes.


We love to check out how we’re seen internationally; Australia’s TODAY gave a Kiwi truck driver hero recognition; CNN reviewed our COVID-19 response; and CaspianReport put us in the centre of a power play. 


While we weren’t able to travel overseas, we still looked for escapism outside our borders and when audiences sought out sources of levity, creators provided no shortage of options: MrBeast set some heartwarming challenges; Mr Tfue orchestrated a remarkable underground pool build and global breakout star Tiko’s unique music was a hit. 


Also included among this year’s top trending videos: Kiwi creator Torrell Tafa surprised people with perfect Samoan in South Auckland and ZHC showed off his creativity. While engagement was up across YouTube, these 10 videos resonated with Kiwi viewers the most. Collectively, they were watched more than 586 million times and the channels behind them total more than 33 million subscribers.


Top Trending Videos (NZ)

  1. Tiko - Tiko - Fishy On Me

  2. Mr. Tfue - 60 Days Build Millionaire Underground Swimming Pool House

  3. CNN - This country has very few Covid-19 deaths. See how they did it

  4. The Survival - Building The Most Secret Underground House And Water Slide To Swimming Pool Underground

  5. Torrell Tafa - White Guy Speaks Perfect Samoan in South Auckland ??

  6. Xiaomanyc 小马在纽约 - Clueless White Guy Orders in Perfect Chinese, Shocks Patrons and Staff

  7. MrBeast - Anything You Can Fit In The Circle I’ll Pay For

  8. TODAY - Hero truck driver has hosts in stitches | Today Show Australia

  9. CaspianReport - New Zealand at the centre of big power play

  10. ZHC - Surprising Charli D'Amelio With 20 Custom iPhone 11s!!?? ft. TikTok & LilHuddy (Giveaway)


This year’s top creators list demonstrates MrBeast’s continuing impact, and the popularity of gaming creators like Dream, Tiko, and LazarBeam, who found connection through social gaming.


Top Creators (NZ)


  1. MrBeast

  2. Dream

  3. ZHC

  4. LazarBeam

  5. Jelly

  6. Fresh

  7. PrestonPlayz

  8. Chloe Ting

  9. Sidemen

  10. Tiko


Among the year’s breakout creators, Aussie Chloe Ting helped viewers sweat at home with workout challenges, Hyram shared his take on beauty trends and Mr Nigel Ng gave us something to laugh about. 


Breakout Creators (NZ)


  1. Dream

  2. Chloe Ting

  3. Tiko

  4. charli d’amelio

  5. Dixie D’Amelio

  6. GeorgeNotFound

  7. Addison Rae

  8. mrnigelng

  9. Corpse Husband

  10. Hyram


In music, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took on the world of hip-hop, Justin Bieber cemented his influence, but it's homegrown artist Benee we’re so proud to see featured near the top. 


Top Music Videos (NZ)

  1. Future - Life is Good ft. Drake

  2. Justin Bieber - Yummy

  3. Benee - Supalonely ft. Gus Dapperton

  4. Tekashi 6ix9ine - Gooba

  5. Justin Bieber - Intentions ft. Quavo

  6. STNDRD Music - My Uso ft. Masi Rooc, Lisi, Biggs & Ron Moala

  7. Sidhu Moose Wala - Old Skool, Prem Dhillon ft. Sidhu Moose Wala, Nseeb, Rahul Chahal, Gold Media, The Kidd

  8. Cardi B - WAP feat. Megan Thee Stallion 

  9. Eminem - Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD

  10. Doja Cat - Say So


For a deeper look at the way video trends shaped digital culture in 2020, check out the Culture & Trends site. 



Post content Posted by Ashley Chang, Culture & Trends Lead, APAC.

Methodology
Top Trending Videos: Based on in-country views of videos uploaded in 2020, excluding music videos, trailers, and children's videos. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Music Videos: Based on in-country views of official music videos uploaded in 2020. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Breakout Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Only channels with +200% YoY growth in 2020 (tripling in size). Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Note: Paid views and views coming from related videos have been removed for all lists.


New Zealand’s Top Trending Videos & Creators for 2020

As The World Changed, This Is What You Were Watching 


Startling unsuspecting bystanders with perfect Chinese pronunciation. Global news outlets marvelling at New Zealand’s COVID response. An astonishing time lapse of productivity to build an underground house.


While 2020 may have been a little different to what we expected, Kiwis sought escapism and humour in what they chose to watch on YouTube.


As the world changed in unimaginable ways, we looked to creators and artists to help us make sense of these shifts, find wonder, and expand our boundaries beyond the four walls of our homes.


We love to check out how we’re seen internationally; Australia’s TODAY gave a Kiwi truck driver hero recognition; CNN reviewed our COVID-19 response; and CaspianReport put us in the centre of a power play. 


While we weren’t able to travel overseas, we still looked for escapism outside our borders and when audiences sought out sources of levity, creators provided no shortage of options: MrBeast set some heartwarming challenges; Mr Tfue orchestrated a remarkable underground pool build and global breakout star Tiko’s unique music was a hit. 


Also included among this year’s top trending videos: Kiwi creator Torrell Tafa surprised people with perfect Samoan in South Auckland and ZHC showed off his creativity. While engagement was up across YouTube, these 10 videos resonated with Kiwi viewers the most. Collectively, they were watched more than 586 million times and the channels behind them total more than 33 million subscribers.


Top Trending Videos (NZ)

  1. Tiko - Tiko - Fishy On Me

  2. Mr. Tfue - 60 Days Build Millionaire Underground Swimming Pool House

  3. CNN - This country has very few Covid-19 deaths. See how they did it

  4. The Survival - Building The Most Secret Underground House And Water Slide To Swimming Pool Underground

  5. Torrell Tafa - White Guy Speaks Perfect Samoan in South Auckland ??

  6. Xiaomanyc 小马在纽约 - Clueless White Guy Orders in Perfect Chinese, Shocks Patrons and Staff

  7. MrBeast - Anything You Can Fit In The Circle I’ll Pay For

  8. TODAY - Hero truck driver has hosts in stitches | Today Show Australia

  9. CaspianReport - New Zealand at the centre of big power play

  10. ZHC - Surprising Charli D'Amelio With 20 Custom iPhone 11s!!?? ft. TikTok & LilHuddy (Giveaway)


This year’s top creators list demonstrates MrBeast’s continuing impact, and the popularity of gaming creators like Dream, Tiko, and LazarBeam, who found connection through social gaming.


Top Creators (NZ)


  1. MrBeast

  2. Dream

  3. ZHC

  4. LazarBeam

  5. Jelly

  6. Fresh

  7. PrestonPlayz

  8. Chloe Ting

  9. Sidemen

  10. Tiko


Among the year’s breakout creators, Aussie Chloe Ting helped viewers sweat at home with workout challenges, Hyram shared his take on beauty trends and Mr Nigel Ng gave us something to laugh about. 


Breakout Creators (NZ)


  1. Dream

  2. Chloe Ting

  3. Tiko

  4. charli d’amelio

  5. Dixie D’Amelio

  6. GeorgeNotFound

  7. Addison Rae

  8. mrnigelng

  9. Corpse Husband

  10. Hyram


In music, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took on the world of hip-hop, Justin Bieber cemented his influence, but it's homegrown artist Benee we’re so proud to see featured near the top. 


Top Music Videos (NZ)

  1. Future - Life is Good ft. Drake

  2. Justin Bieber - Yummy

  3. Benee - Supalonely ft. Gus Dapperton

  4. Tekashi 6ix9ine - Gooba

  5. Justin Bieber - Intentions ft. Quavo

  6. STNDRD Music - My Uso ft. Masi Rooc, Lisi, Biggs & Ron Moala

  7. Sidhu Moose Wala - Old Skool, Prem Dhillon ft. Sidhu Moose Wala, Nseeb, Rahul Chahal, Gold Media, The Kidd

  8. Cardi B - WAP feat. Megan Thee Stallion 

  9. Eminem - Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD

  10. Doja Cat - Say So


For a deeper look at the way video trends shaped digital culture in 2020, check out the Culture & Trends site. 



Post content Posted by Ashley Chang, Culture & Trends Lead, APAC.

Methodology
Top Trending Videos: Based on in-country views of videos uploaded in 2020, excluding music videos, trailers, and children's videos. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Music Videos: Based on in-country views of official music videos uploaded in 2020. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Breakout Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Only channels with +200% YoY growth in 2020 (tripling in size). Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Note: Paid views and views coming from related videos have been removed for all lists.


New Zealand’s Top Trending Videos & Creators for 2020

As The World Changed, This Is What You Were Watching 


Startling unsuspecting bystanders with perfect Chinese pronunciation. Global news outlets marvelling at New Zealand’s COVID response. An astonishing time lapse of productivity to build an underground house.


While 2020 may have been a little different to what we expected, Kiwis sought escapism and humour in what they chose to watch on YouTube.


As the world changed in unimaginable ways, we looked to creators and artists to help us make sense of these shifts, find wonder, and expand our boundaries beyond the four walls of our homes.


We love to check out how we’re seen internationally; Australia’s TODAY gave a Kiwi truck driver hero recognition; CNN reviewed our COVID-19 response; and CaspianReport put us in the centre of a power play. 


While we weren’t able to travel overseas, we still looked for escapism outside our borders and when audiences sought out sources of levity, creators provided no shortage of options: MrBeast set some heartwarming challenges; Mr Tfue orchestrated a remarkable underground pool build and global breakout star Tiko’s unique music was a hit. 


Also included among this year’s top trending videos: Kiwi creator Torrell Tafa surprised people with perfect Samoan in South Auckland and ZHC showed off his creativity. While engagement was up across YouTube, these 10 videos resonated with Kiwi viewers the most. Collectively, they were watched more than 586 million times and the channels behind them total more than 33 million subscribers.


Top Trending Videos (NZ)

  1. Tiko - Tiko - Fishy On Me

  2. Mr. Tfue - 60 Days Build Millionaire Underground Swimming Pool House

  3. CNN - This country has very few Covid-19 deaths. See how they did it

  4. The Survival - Building The Most Secret Underground House And Water Slide To Swimming Pool Underground

  5. Torrell Tafa - White Guy Speaks Perfect Samoan in South Auckland ??

  6. Xiaomanyc 小马在纽约 - Clueless White Guy Orders in Perfect Chinese, Shocks Patrons and Staff

  7. MrBeast - Anything You Can Fit In The Circle I’ll Pay For

  8. TODAY - Hero truck driver has hosts in stitches | Today Show Australia

  9. CaspianReport - New Zealand at the centre of big power play

  10. ZHC - Surprising Charli D'Amelio With 20 Custom iPhone 11s!!?? ft. TikTok & LilHuddy (Giveaway)


This year’s top creators list demonstrates MrBeast’s continuing impact, and the popularity of gaming creators like Dream, Tiko, and LazarBeam, who found connection through social gaming.


Top Creators (NZ)


  1. MrBeast

  2. Dream

  3. ZHC

  4. LazarBeam

  5. Jelly

  6. Fresh

  7. PrestonPlayz

  8. Chloe Ting

  9. Sidemen

  10. Tiko


Among the year’s breakout creators, Aussie Chloe Ting helped viewers sweat at home with workout challenges, Hyram shared his take on beauty trends and Mr Nigel Ng gave us something to laugh about. 


Breakout Creators (NZ)


  1. Dream

  2. Chloe Ting

  3. Tiko

  4. charli d’amelio

  5. Dixie D’Amelio

  6. GeorgeNotFound

  7. Addison Rae

  8. mrnigelng

  9. Corpse Husband

  10. Hyram


In music, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion took on the world of hip-hop, Justin Bieber cemented his influence, but it's homegrown artist Benee we’re so proud to see featured near the top. 


Top Music Videos (NZ)

  1. Future - Life is Good ft. Drake

  2. Justin Bieber - Yummy

  3. Benee - Supalonely ft. Gus Dapperton

  4. Tekashi 6ix9ine - Gooba

  5. Justin Bieber - Intentions ft. Quavo

  6. STNDRD Music - My Uso ft. Masi Rooc, Lisi, Biggs & Ron Moala

  7. Sidhu Moose Wala - Old Skool, Prem Dhillon ft. Sidhu Moose Wala, Nseeb, Rahul Chahal, Gold Media, The Kidd

  8. Cardi B - WAP feat. Megan Thee Stallion 

  9. Eminem - Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD

  10. Doja Cat - Say So


For a deeper look at the way video trends shaped digital culture in 2020, check out the Culture & Trends site. 



Post content Posted by Ashley Chang, Culture & Trends Lead, APAC.

Methodology
Top Trending Videos: Based on in-country views of videos uploaded in 2020, excluding music videos, trailers, and children's videos. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Music Videos: Based on in-country views of official music videos uploaded in 2020. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Top Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Breakout Creators: Based on in-country subscribers gained in 2020, excluding channels from artists, brands, media companies, and children's content. Only channels with +200% YoY growth in 2020 (tripling in size). Source: Google data, Jan 1 - Nov 15, 2020.
Note: Paid views and views coming from related videos have been removed for all lists.


Supporting quality reporting and information on vaccines



This is a guest blog post from Dr Susannah Eliott, CEO of the Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC), which works to enhance the media's coverage of science, for the benefit of the public.


The enormous impact of this pandemic has meant that scientists and pharmaceutical companies have had to go into overdrive to produce vaccines in record time. And with so many vaccines in various stages of development, it’s not surprising when journalists and the public find it difficult to get answers to critical questions.


Questions like what is herd immunity and how long will it take to achieve? Will the vaccines prevent infection as well as disease? And what is an mRNA vaccine and how is it different to traditional types of vaccines?


Answers to these questions, and access to clear and reliable information, has never been more important. And today we’re excited to announce a new initiative that aims to address this issue and equip journalists with solid information about COVID-19 vaccines as they are being developed and rolled out.


Journalists and fact checkers across the world will soon have access to our new COVID-19 Vaccine Media Hub, a dedicated support service, to help them report on COVID-19 vaccines thanks to a global alliance of Science Media Centres (SMCs) and public health experts supported by a $1 million investment from the Google News Initiative.


This new media hub will bring together expert commentary, explainers and multiple sources of information from evidence-based sources on vaccines. And it will make information available in at least seven different languages to help journalists across the world to report on COVID-19 vaccines - and the science behind them.


As Alexios Mantzarlis, News and Information Credibility Lead at Google News Lab puts it: “Fighting misinformation about this topic will require both targeting harmful hoaxes directly and supporting the crucial work of science beat reporters and fact-checkers informing the public. It is with this in mind that we are thrilled to support the creation of a COVID-19 vaccine media hub to help journalists access expertise rapidly and reliably.”


The Australian Science Media Centre (AusSMC) will lead the initiative together with Meedan, a technology not-for-profit, and in collaboration with SMCs and other organisations across Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, and North America.


Science Media Centres are independent not-for-profit organisations that exist to help journalists report on the science behind daily news, whether that’s a pandemic, a natural disaster or a new scientific discovery. Although SMCs are independent of each other and work with journalists on local issues, they also collaborate on global topics and are aligned through a Charter of Independence.


This initiative represents the first time that the SMC network has been supported to work proactively on a specific globally important topic together with organisations like Meedan. We hope that this alliance will grow and continue to provide evidence-based information on a whole range of topics into the future.


Nat Gyenes, Director of Meedan’s Digital Health Lab has the last word – “recognising the threat of misinformation has become an additional vector for the spread of infectious diseases [and] we see a networked approach to addressing information equity challenges as a critical public health need… We are honored to work with the Science Media Centre of Australia and their partner Science Media Centres on this critical initiative.”


We look forward to the impact this important resource will have for journalists, providing around-the-clock access to scientific expertise and research updates.


For more information, please visit the Australian Science Media Centre and you can read more about the Google News Initiative’s work here.

Year in Search 2020: Here’s what Aussies searched for this year

From fires to facemasks and sourdough, this year’s top trending searches show our wide spectrum of curiosities, worries and cravings. 

2020 has been a year like no other, marked by blazing bushfires, a global pandemic – and cravings for comfort food. We sought definitions, made sense of restrictions and looked to help people in need. We were stood down from jobs, stood up for Black Lives Matter and stood behind Quaden Bayles. We hunted for hand sanitiser, stocked up on toilet paper and donated bales of hay. And looking abroad, we followed the US election, the Beirut explosion and said goodbye to some greats.

As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the moments that made Aussies wonder, question and rally together. Here's a snapshot of five themes showing what caught Aussies' attention in Search in 2020:  

Health, safety and livelihood 

2020 began with smokey skies as Australia battled raging bushfires – prompting us to search for ‘fires near me’ and check the air quality. Not long after, COVID-19 rattled the world, steering our searches towards safeguards and lockdown kits. We were on a mission for hand sanitiser, face masks, antibacterial wipes and isopropyl alcohol. We asked how to get tested for coronavirus, how far we could travel and if we could go fishing. And as jobs were stood down or lost, we looked to apply for Centrelink and JobKeeper. 


A new language for our new normal 

We may have been lost for words this year, but it turns out we found some new ones too. Search shows we were looking to understand medical, scientific and political terminology – as we looked up the definitions of COVID, pandemic, lockdown and stimulus package. As people joined and watched the Black Lives Matter protests, we wanted to know what BIPOC stood for. And as “Karen” memes filled feeds, Aussies wanted to get across this new slang term. 

Buying and DIYing 

The top trending DIY queries show that Aussies were crafty, resourceful and ambitious in 2020. As protective and sanitary products flew off the shelves, we wanted to to know how to make hand sanitiser, face masks, toilet paper – and even ventilators. We were also inspired to treat ourselves to some much needed self-care, searching to buy neck hammocks, dumbbells and looking for DIY foot scrubs. 

Savoury, sweet and sanitary (!) recipes 

Food was a big feature of 2020, with many of us cooking up storms and eating at home more than ever before. Curiously, for the first time, a non-edible item has topped the list of top trending recipes: hand sanitiser. On a yummier note, baked goods were a stand out this year. Sourdough topped the list of (edible) recipes and we also kneaded donuts, crumpets, macarons, Anzac cookies and banana bread. Moving on to heartier, main meals, good ol’ spag bol and Beef Stroganoff also featured on the menu of top trending recipes. And finally, for a caffeine hit, we jumped on the Dalgona coffee bandwagon. 

Rising up and reaching out 

While 2020 brought many hurdles, our searches show that Aussies were looking for ways to help each other through the hardship. As many Aussies struggled in drought and fire bush affected areas, we looked to “buy from the bush,” “buy Aussie now” and “buy a bale.” And when Quaden Bayles shared his heartbreaking story as a victim of bullying, we stood behind him – making Quaden the top trending kid on Search in Australia in 2020. 

To dive into Australia's lists, check out the full trending lists for 2020: 

Overall Searches: 
1. US election 
2. Coronavirus 
3. NBA 
4. Zoom 
5. Coronavirus symptoms 
6. Kobe Bryant 
7. Weather tomorrow 
8. Fires near me 
9. Coronavirus Victoria 
10, Trump vs Biden 

News topics: 
1. US election 
2. Coronavirus 
3. Fires near me 
4. Coronavirus Victoria 
5. Toilet paper 
6. NSW fires 
7. Qantas share price 
8. Air quality Melbourne 
9. Beirut explosion 
10. NSW coronavirus 

Australian public figures: 
1. Dani Laidley 
2. Celeste Barber 
3. Gladys Berejiklian 
4. George Pell 
5.Quaden Bayles 
6. Pete Evans 
7. Nicola Gobbo 
8. Peter Dutton 
9. Richard Pusey 
10. Ben Cousins 

Global public figures: 
1. Joe Biden 
2. Kim Jong Un 
3. Boris Johnson 
4. Kamala Harris 
5. Tom Hanks 
6. Kanye West 
7. Joe Exotic 
8. Donald Trump 
9. Prince Harry 
10. Carole Baskin 

Loss: 
1. Kobe Bryant 
2. Naya Rivera 
3. Chadwick Boseman 
4. George Floyd 
5. Sean Connery 
6. Caroline Flack 
7. Kelly Preston 
8. Kenny Rogers 
9. Sushant Singh Rajput 
10. Shane Tuck 

Sport: 
1. NBA 
2. EPL 
3. State of Origin 2020 
4. Champions League 
5. IPL 
6. French Open 
7. ATP Cup 
8. Australia vs New Zealand 
9. Tennis Australian Open 
10. AFL scores

Recipe 
1. Hand sanitizer 
2. Sourdough bread 
3. Beef Stroganoff 
4. Spaghetti bolognese 
5. Donut 
6. Crumpet 
7. Macaron 
8. Anzac cookie 
9. Banana bread 
10. Dalgona coffee 

How to….? 
1. How to make hand sanitizer 
2. How to make a face mask 
3. How to use Zoom 
4. How to get tested for coronavirus 
5. How to make bread 
6. How to make self raising flour 
7. How to apply for Centrelink 
8. How to buy shares 
9. How to apply for JobKeeper 
10. How to make whipped coffee 

DIY
1. DIY hand sanitiser 
2. DIY face mask pattern
3. DIY neck hammock 
4. DIY ventilator 
4. DIY foot scrub 
5. DIY fire pit area 
6. DIY toilet paper
7. DIY pottery kit 
8. DIY antibacterial wipes
9. DIY scrunchie holder 

Definitions 
1. COVID 
2. Pandemic 
3. Branch stacking 
4. Stimulus package 
5. Stand down 
6. Portmanteau 
7. BIPOC 
8. Barre 
9. Lockdown 
10. Karen 

Goods and giving: 
1. Where to buy face masks 
2. Buy toilet paper online 
3. Buy from the bush 
4. Buy Ps5 
5. Buy Aussie now 
6. Where to buy hand sanitizer 
7. Buy isopropyl alcohol 
8. Buy a bale 
9. Buy Xbox Series X 
10. Buy dumbbells 

‘Can I….?’ 
1.Where can I buy toilet paper 
2. Where can I buy hand sanitiser 
3. Where can I get tested for coronavirus 
4. Can I access my super 
5. How many people can I have in my house 
6. When can I access my super 
7. Can I go fishing in NSW 
8. How much can I borrow home loan 
9. How far can I travel in QLD 
10. Can I leave Australia 

Posted by Camilla Ibrahim, Communications & Public Affairs Manager, Google Australia