Regardless of its specific advantages, the Internet is a medium, and some people manage to stand out much more than others. Politicians, athletes, journalists, artists, models, YouTubers, Tumblr stars, millionaires... the list goes on. Of course, it could only be the news portal TIME that recognizes the 30 most influential people of the digital frontier. The curious thing about that list? It's likely you don't know almost anyone in the Top 5.
In some cases, fame comes through words. In others, it's recognition of constant creativity. Then we find skill and physical attributes, activism, and of course, both money and the carrying of surnames. In other words... fame isn't very coherent, to say the least. It can come out of nowhere and last for years, or disappear in a matter of seconds. Internet is no exception to this behavior. All those who appear in Top 30 of TIME magazine will probably be forgotten by the public within a year or two... or they may never leave our minds completely. Who are the most voted so far? Let's see:
1. Nash Grier
TIME's survey indicates consumption preferences among Americans, and the presence of Nash Grier confirms it. Who exactly is he? To get to know him better, you have to be a Vine user. He has 11 million followers on that network, and his videos have accumulated two billion views. Advertising contracts for companies like Virgin Media clash with the fact that he is not old enough (17) to drink alcohol in many countries.
2. Vani Hari
A solid case of activism, Vani Hari, also known as Food Babe, maintains a crusade against the food industry, criticizing the use of ingredients and compounds toxic to health. Subway, Kraft, and Starbucks were three of her main targets, although her critics have repeatedly mentioned that Hari's statements are based on fear and pseudoscience. Even so, there are millions of people who follow her work.
3. Tyler Oakley
One of the most compelling examples when describing a YouTuber. Tyler Oakley has more than six million subscribers on the platform, his videos average a million hits, and he has been seen in very high-profile projects, such as reporting from the Grammys red carpet for CBS and interviewing Michelle Obama. He is also a dedicated LGBT activist.
4. Matt Drudge
I know him a little, probably because I'm getting old. Matt Drudge exploded after revealing that Newsweek had the news of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. His main project, The Drudge Report, began in the mid-'90s by sending a handful of emails per week. Today, it is a monster of one billion pageviews per month, sometimes surpassing other giants like Facebook and Twitter.
5. Barack Obama
We definitely know him. The current president of the United States is in his final term, but from day one he knew how to capitalize on the Web's resources. His AMA on Reddit was the most visited in the history of the aggregator, and his presence on social media has generated millions of followers around the world. Many presidents try to imitate his style on the Internet, with different results.
Taylor Swift, Kim K, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Beyoncé, J.K. Rowling, and Jimmy Fallon symbolize the main celebrities on the TIME list. Among the politicians (besides Obama) we find Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (the hologram man) and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentine president. Do you think anyone else is missing?
TIME
