Pop star Britney Spears and social networking phenomenon MySpace were the most popular search engine queries in 2006, underscoring America’s obsession with celebrity and social networking.

At least that’s what Yahoo and Ask.com claim are the public’s fixations, in their annual lists of the top search terms.

Yahoo’s No. 1 U.S. ranking went to Spears, whose star power has remained strong despite a hiatus in her music career for motherhood. How else to keep up with her filing for divorce from husband Kevin Federline and showing photographers more than she intended during various late nights out on the town with fellow starlet Paris Hilton?

After Spears in Yahoo’s 2006 rankings was World Wrestling Entertainment, Colombian pop star Shakira, singer Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton.