The press has recently discussed whether we are more or less easily offended now compared to the past. Of course, neither side of the debate has any data to back up their arguments. Therefore, we thought it was time to show some data on the subject.
Being easily offended is difficult to measure over time, but one possible indicator could be how often the term “offended” is mentioned in the press and on websites. Unfortunately, there is no data on the collective internet before 2004 on this topic, but it might still be interesting. A possible factor of error here is that language use can change over time, even within shorter periods. Simply put, different words might have been chosen.
As you can see in the graph, it seems that the level of being offended was at a relatively low point between 2007-2011 compared to both before and after. Perhaps the perceived level of being easily offended is higher because it seems more “offended” in recent years, but it’s more likely a return to the time before 2007 rather than an actual increase.
The data comes from Google Trends, which is a very useful tool for measuring interest. It shows both how often something has been written about and how often it has been searched for regarding the terms you’re investigating.
Magnus Bråth
CEO
Magnus is one of the world's most prominent search marketing specialists and primarily works with management and strategy at his agency Brath AB.