Brexit: Google Search Trends Suggest Voters Don't Really Know What They Were Voting For

What happens if we leave the EU?

According to Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG)’s Google Trends, the question above witnessed a 250 spike in search volume around midnight in Britain, as polls started to suggest the “Leave” option would prevail in the Brexit referendum. But, with ballots closed for two hours already, wasn’t it a bit late to be asking a thing like that?

One interesting thing here is the following: A lot of people seemed not to know what a Brexit meant, or for what they were voting, but understood (or believed they did) that it would have an impact on immigration.

Related Link: Now That Brexit Happened, Experts Are Worried About Earnings And Jobs

However, a Google search for the “What happens if we leave the EU?” question did not return results about immigration, but instead suggested that the British pound would devaluate to record lows, the economy would contract and political parties would struggle to keep the promises they made regarding a potential Brexit.

Other U.K. Trends

A look at current search trends in the U.K. shows some of the top five questions regarding the E.U. referendum demonstrated people were not very aware of what was going on.

Number two in the top five: What is 'Brexit'?

Again, a bit late to ask, right? It's like asking if something is edible after having ingested it...

Also interesting are the top three questions about the European Union:

• 1) Why should we stay in the EU?
• 2) Why should we leave the EU?
• 3) What will happen if we leave?

But, following the release of the official results, "What is the EU?" became the second top U.K. question on the EU, Google’s Twitter account read.

One thing is for sure: Many voters appear to have been unaware of what they were deciding and what the real implications were —at least until it was too late to make an informed decision.

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.