Google officially debunks viral “first search award” TikTok claim

After much online discussion about the recent viral TikTok revealing a “first search award” on Google, the organization has officially commented on the situation, shutting down the idea that such a trophy exists.

The initial TikTok in question was first posted on January 19, 2023. In the video, TikTok user Legbootlegit can be seen scrolling through Google. The video then showed the user typing into google, “how to stop hyperactivity and excessive s******* in caffeinated pigeons.” 

After doing so, an onscreen notice pops up, informing them that they are the first Google user to ever search for that exact term. The top of the search findings displaying the message, “congratulations! You were the first to search for this phrase.”

At the time of writing, the viral video has gone on to hit over 2.6 million views and has almost 2000 comments attached to it. Many of which include TikTok users debating the legitimacy of the video and the award in focus.

The video has since sparked major debate online as to whether or not an actual award is given to people for searching a unique phrase on Google. With many others online recording their attempts to unlock the first search achievement by inputting lots of random and uncommon things into the search engine.

Now, a week after the video was first posted, Google has spoken out about the claims that this award exists. ​​Colette Garcia, a communications manager for Search at Google, told Newsweek that, “this award does not currently exist. In fact, 15 percent of searches we see every day are new.”

Sorry to all who thought the notification was real. However, Garcia’s wording of the award as something that “does not currently exist” does leave the door open for it to become a feature at some point in the future. Time will tell if a system that the TikTok theorized does ever become a staple of the Google search engine. 

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