In 2022, the most viewed article on Wikipedia featured a surprising name: the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, with over 50 million views.
Why Are Readers Suddenly Interested in Queen Cleopatra of Egypt?
There have been various articles about the remake of the classic film Queen Cleopatra and a Superbowl ad featuring Cleopatra. However, these news pieces do not fully explain the surge in views for this famous Egyptian queen.
In an attempt to determine the reason behind the spike in article views about Cleopatra, computer social scientists sought answers online.
Image of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra – (Photo: SOULVEDA)
Shortly after, a Twitter user provided a clue: The Google Assistant app, which uses voice recognition features allowing users to interact with their smartphones, might be the reason.
Launched in 2016, this app is now integrated into at least 1 billion devices and has over 500 million monthly users.
When you set up Google and start using it, this app provides sample search phrases that you can say into your phone’s microphone. For instance, “Open YouTube”, requests to search a website, or asking “How many ounces are in a cup?“
One of the commands that this search app provides is “Try saying: Show me Cleopatra on Wikipedia.”
In 2022, approximately 50 million people followed this prompt.
Before Google Assistant became popular in 2020, searches for Cleopatra were around 2.5 million.
From the Egyptian Queen to Designing Collective Attention
The popularity of the article about the Egyptian queen was likely significantly influenced by the example command provided by the Google Assistant app. But this is not just an interesting coincidence.
Researchers in the fields of social data science and web analytics often use statistics—such as Google search queries and Wikipedia page views—to study attention dynamics and popularity.
In addition to predicting the success of movies at the box office, they also use that data to study the popularity of elections.
These relatively new data sources can be useful and intriguing. They also serve as an excellent means to track human behavior on online platforms. However, they can sometimes lead to biased analyses.
In 2013, Google researchers attempted to predict the severity of the flu season by analyzing user search data. However, they failed.
It is crucial for researchers in computer social science to consider qualitative methods and in-depth studies to understand the story behind the data.
This phenomenon illustrates how a small change or design decision can have a large-scale impact, as this design reaches millions of users through digital technology.
In Cleopatra’s case, no harm was done. However, the significant power that high-tech and media companies have in shaping and influencing public attention should not be overlooked.
|
Aside from Queen Cleopatra of Egypt, most articles at the top of Wikipedia’s list relate to significant global events: the Ukraine war, the death of the Queen of England, and the 2022 World Cup. Billionaires Elon Musk and Johnny Depp also made it onto this list. |
