2017 Year in Review across Facebook and Twitter

2017 – it’s been a big year full of political scandals, great sporting moments and major news stories from the Manchester terror attack to the Las Vegas shooting.

As we  approach the end of the year, social media platforms Facebook and Twitter are looking back on the year that was.

Across social media, Australians came together to connect about sport, politics and tragedy with International Women’s Day the most talked-about topic in Australia on Facebook.

The most re-tweeted Tweet was from the AU Marriage Equality campaign on the day the Australian public was revealed to have delivered a majority ‘yes’ vote in the same-sex marriage postal survey.

On Facebook, however, the decision was only the third most talked-about topic, beaten by the Melbourne Cup.

Qantas earned itself the fourth spot thanks to some big announcements such as the Dreamliner and being an active supporter of the yes campaign in the same-sex marriage debate.

The death of Soundgarden rocker Chris Cornell rounded out the top five.

Attorney General and Leader of the Government in the Senate, George Brandis, made a splash this year with several signature speeches in the senate chamber including one responding to Pauline Hanson wearing a burqa and was clearly a much-discussed person – claiming the sixth most discussed topic on Facebook.

Despite this, Brandis didn’t track as well on Twitter and was not one of the most tweeted about politicians for the year.

His nemesis in the burqa stunt, Pauline Hanson, was the third-most tweeted about pollie behind the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

Tony Abbott might only be a backbencher these days but Twitter users still care – he was the fourth most tweeted about politician followed by Peter Dutton.

Barnaby Joyce was the sixth most tweeted about politician, with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk claiming sixth place.

Josh Frydenberg, Cory Bernardi and Julie Bishop rounded out the top 10.

When it comes to sport, Melbourne Cup dominates on Facebook as the second most talked about topic while Roger Federer was the ninth.

On Twitter the most tweeted about sporting team was the Adelaide Crows with the top 10 dominated by football of all forms while Cricket Australia claimed tenth place.

In terms of sporting hashtags #nrl was the most tweeted, followed by #football, #afl, #f1 and #rugbyleague.

Rounding out the top 10 were #aleague, #esports, #ufc, #basketball, #horseracing.

Looking at hashtags more broadly, unsurprisingly #auspol was the most Tweeted about, followed by #marriageequality.

Politics dominates the hashtags themes with #manus claiming third followed by #qanda and #stopadani.

In at sixth place was #gaming with #qldpol helped by the Queensland election to secure seventh place.

In at eighth was #ausopen followed by #bts - a Korean pop band - and #amazon.

The most followed Australians on Twitter were a collection of celebrities with only three women to make it to the top ten.

Loveable actor Hugh Jackman is the most followed Australian on Twitter for 2017, followed by Five Seconds of Summer’s Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford.

Iggy Azalea was the first woman to crack the list at number five, coming in behind Cody Simpson.

Miranda Kerr claimed ninth position while Sia rounded out the top 10.

The most tweeted about journalist was media commentator and former Fairfax Media journalist Mike Carlton.

Sky News’ Chris Kenny came second while BuzzFeed’s Mark Di Stefano claimed third place.

The Guardian columnist Van Badham was fourth while News Corp rival Miranda Devine rounded out the top five.

Most Talked-About Topics in Australia 2017

1. International Women's Day
2. Melbourne Cup
3. Same-sex marriage decision
4. Qantas
5. Chris Cornell's Death
6. Attorney General George Brandis
7. Floyd Mayweather Jr. / Conor McGregor Boxing Match
8. Linkin Park / Chester Bennington's death
9. Roger Federer
10. Manchester Attack