This metric could be distorted, making the comparison false in many ways: Google reports the ratio of search for a keyword / total search. In 08, a smaller fraction of people would Google to fix a financial problem. So you would expect today's index to be WAY larger if we had a similar level of worry. The fact that after an immense amount of more information is made available online, we have not exceeded 08 means we are in a way better shape than 08. For example, the search for credit card problems in now much more popular than 08. And this is an artifact of more help being available online.(Sina 🗝️⚡ 21st Capital)