Kaspersky reveals the trendiest kids interests right now: God of War, Wednesday, and Beluga cat

Woburn, MA – December 19, 2022 – A new Kaspersky study has revealed the most popular kids' interests in recent months. Researchers analyzed anonymized YouTube searches, finding that the Netflix series “Wednesday” created the greatest buzz as the most popular series. Among games, “God of War” managed to draw a lot of kids’ attention, along with evergreen game leaders “Roblox” and “Minecraft.” Meanwhile, the “Beluga Cat” meme got a second life with its own YouTube channel.

December is the time to choose gifts and make dreams come true for kids, but it can be difficult for parents to understand what a child really wants. One way of finding the perfect present can be to explore the online interests of children. Kaspersky analyzed anonymized data provided by users of the children's safety software Kaspersky Safe Kids from August 28 to November 28, 2022, including search queries on YouTube.

The top series and movies

This autumn, the Netflix “Wednesday” series made a huge splash. Vloggers churned out videos devoted to the main character’s makeup, outfits, and the dance Jenna Ortega performed at the ball in episode four, which also went viral.

More than half of all kids searched for cartoons in the “Cartoons, the Movies, and TV Shows” category (50.5%). During the fall, children were glued to the Netflix show “Inside Job” and “Zootopia+”, on Disney+. One of the most popular movies was “Enola Holmes 2,” starring Millie Bobby Brown, released in October, also on Netflix.

The top games

November 2022 saw three new releases: “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet,” “God of War Ragnarök,” and “Just Dance 2023 Edition” – all with large, young followings. They managed to attract huge attention among kids, together with evergreen leaders like “Roblox” and “Minecraft.”

God of War Ragnarök

Memes and other trends

This autumn also saw the comeback of “Beluga Cat,” thanks to the YouTube channel Beluga. Another major topic was The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ during the build-up to the tournament, accounting for a large majority of queries relating to sports.

As for toys, the “LEGO Ninjago” series is still hugely popular with all ages and took first place. Interestingly, “Harry Potter” topics, including toys, LEGO sets and marketplaces, were also among the most popular requests in the fall.

Beluga Cat meme

“We regularly see how children’s interests and trends rapidly change,” said Anna Larkina, web content analysis expert at Kaspersky. “Literally every quarter there are new memes, movies and heroes appearing. For example, the Wednesday series has become a true phenomenon with teenagers, with many repeating the look or copying Jenny Ortega’s epic dance. Keeping track of all the changes can be quite difficult if you are an adult, so parental control apps can help understand all the trends and topics.”

The full report on kids’ online interests and tips on how to choose the perfect Christmas gift is available here.

Here are some tips for keeping your kids safe online:

•       Show interest in your kids’ online activity. Ask them if you can watch their favorite series or listen to music tracks together. As an option, you can learn together some secure practices to stay safe online.

•       Parental control apps can be a good option. But it’s important to discuss the topic with your child to explain how these apps work and why they’re needed to stay safe online.

•       Explain that sensitive information should only be shared via messengers and only with people they know in real life. You can be a role model and show them good examples of good behavior.

•       Spend time communicating with your kids about being smart online. Try paying attention to your own habits. Do you use your smartphone while eating or talking? Are your kids mimicking any of your habits or behavior patterns? Do they react in a different way when you put your phone away?

•       Learn more about cybersecurity in an entertaining format with Midori Kuma, the friendly green bear.

 

About Kaspersky

Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 240,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at usa.kaspersky.com.

 

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Sawyer Van Horn

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