--- description: From Taylor Swift to The Jester, meet the most influential people on the Internet title: These Are The 30 Most Influential People on the Internet image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The 30 Most Influential People on the Internet by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2015 2:21 PM CUT by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 5, 2015 2:21 PM CUT If we’ve learned anything from the [Dress That Broke the Internet](http://time.com/3725628/the-dress-caitlin-mcneill-post-tumblr-viral/ "undefined"), first posted to Tumblr by a 21-year-old singer from Scotland, it’s that anyone with a web connection can start a global conversation. Yes, it helps to be famous in real life. But the rise of social networks has leveled the playing field, allowing unknowns to command audiences rivaling those of real-world leaders, even if by accident. Who rises above the rest? To determine the unranked list, we analyzed social-media followings, site traffic, overall ability to drive news, and more. ### Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (a.k.a. PewDiePie)  SINGAPORE - MAY 23: PewDiePie attends the Social Star Awards 2013 at Marina Bay Sands on May 23, 2013 in Singapore. (Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images) Getty Images Never mind Fox or AMC. With 35 million subscribers (and nearly 8 billion total views), this Swedish gamer’s [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/PewDiePie "undefined") broadcasts some of the most-watched programs in pop culture, which just so happen to be…clips of himself playing video games, with charismatic narration. Early on in his rise to fame, Kjellberg upset some fans by making rape jokes. But the 25-year-old later [apologized](http://pewdie.tumblr.com/post/34309686617/no-more-rape-jokes "undefined"), and has since gone on to give indie game-makers invaluable exposure and commandeer his “Bro Army” to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities like [Save the Children](http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.9052337/k.ECCD/PewDiePie%5FCelebrates%5Fhis%5F25%5FMillion%5FYouTube%5FSubscriber%5FMilestone%5Fby%5FSupporting%5FSave%5Fthe%5FChildren.htm?msource=weklppdp0314 "undefined"). _—Sarah Begley_ ### Taylor Swift  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 17: Taylor Swift Visits "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" at Rockefeller Center on February 17, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/NBC/Getty Images for "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon") Getty Images Like many pop stars, the 25-year old “Blank Space” singer has millions of followers across social media. But Swift stands out for how—and how much—she truly engages with them. In the past year alone, she has [commented on a fan’s Instagram](http://time.com/3273740/taylor-swift-instagram-comments-bullied-fan/ "undefined") to comfort her from bullying, made a breakup playlist for a [brokenhearted fan on Tumblr](http://time.com/3705388/taylor-swift-breakup-playlist/ "undefined"), and hosted a bunch of [1989 listening parties](https://twitter.com/TheAaronLeal/status/513554130187456513 "undefined") specifically for people she found online. Naturally, all of this wit and warmth makes news, giving Swift an invaluable amount of free publicity.—_Daniel D’Addario_ ### The Jester  Stanley Chow A hero to some and a criminal to others, [the Jester](https://twitter.com/th3j35t3r "undefined") is one of a growing army of anonymous cyberwarriors, or “hacktivists,” who push the boundaries of the law in the name of their causes. In his case, that means targeting terrorists and hate groups. Since he assumed his persona five years ago, the Jester says he’s taken down more than 180 websites, including [some associated with ISIS](https://twitter.com/th3j35t3r/status/502126484295647232 "undefined"), and played virtual pranks on groups like the [Westboro Baptist Church](http://www.dailydot.com/news/westboro-baptist-church-hack-oklahoma/ "undefined"), which is known for anti-gay rhetoric. (Although all of this is technically illegal, the Jester has never been prosecuted.) Of course, it’s impossible to verify such claims with certainty. But if true, they make him one of the most powerful stand-alone hackers in the world.—_Haley Sweetland Edwards_ ### Nash Grier  WESTWOOD, CA - DECEMBER 10: Social media star Nash Grier attends the premiere of Awesomeness TV's "EXPELLED" at Westwood Village Theatre on December 10, 2014 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) Getty Images If you’re a teenager or you’re on Vine, the social media platform that loops six-second videos, you’ve almost definitely heard of [Nash Grier](https://vine.co/griernash "undefined"). But for the uninitiated: The 17-year-old commands more than 11 million followers on Vine (more than any other user), where his comedic clips have logged some 2 billion views. All of which has made Grier a generational celebrity, replete with a [movie contract](http://www.dailydot.com/entertainment/nash-grier-cameron-dallas-vine-movie/ "undefined"), appearances on _Good Morning America_, endorsement deals with Sonic and Virgin Mobile, and the occasional controversy (such as when he used a gay slur in a now-deleted video). In October, Grier was named one of [Time’s most influential teens of 2014.](http://time.com/3486048/most-influential-teens-2014/ "undefined")—_Sarah Begley_ ### Barack Obama  US President Barack Obama speaks on investments in "precision medicine" on January 30, 2015 in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC. President Obama on Friday unveiled plans to plow $215 million into "precision medicine" research, a field he said provided "boundless' promise for the treatment of diseases like cancer and diabetes.AFP PHOTO/MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) Getty Images It’s easy to cite facts about the President’s virtual influence: he’s the most-liked world leader on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/barackobama "undefined"); the most-followed world leader on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/barackobama "undefined"); and he did the most-trafficked [“Ask Me Anything”](http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/z1c9z/i%5Fam%5Fbarack%5Fob "undefined") in Reddit history. But more impressively, Obama is able to meme himself to push an agenda. Last month, for example, he mugged for BuzzFeed cameras with a [selfie stick](http://time.com/3707652/obama-selfie-stick-obamacare/ "undefined")—among other props—to remind millennials to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act; within days, the video had been viewed more than 50 million times.—_Olivia B. Waxman_ ### Kim Kardashian  WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: TV personality Kim Kardashian attends "The BET Honors" 2015 at Warner Theatre on January 24, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kris Connor/BET/Getty Images for BET) Getty Images She may tout millions of fans in real life, but Kardashian, 34, truly stands out on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/kimkardashian/ "undefined"). There, she has perfected the art of the selfie: some with famous friends, some in luxurious bathrooms, and all to the delight of her 27 million followers. Long a performer in a reality TV show produced and edited by others, Kardashian also deftly uses Twitter to define and defend her own narrative (“Her eyes were closed and I was feeling my look! Can I live?!?” she [sniped](https://twitter.com/kimkardashian/status/544618803015852033 "undefined") after being criticized for [cropping her daughter](http://time.com/3633404/kim-kardashian-north-west-selfie/ "undefined") out of a selfie), and of course to promote her various business ventures.—_Daniel D’Addario_ ### Joy Cho  Bonnie Tsang The 35-year-old [blogger](http://ohjoy.blogs.com/ "undefined") has parlayed her design expertise into an “Oh Joy!” lifestyle empire, spanning [Pinterest](https://www.pinterest.com/ohjoy/ "undefined") (where she touts a record 13 million followers), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/OhJoy "undefined") (where she posts DIY design tutorials), [Instagram](https://instagram.com/ohjoy "undefined"), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ohjoystudio "undefined"), [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ohjoystudio "undefined") and yes, even old-fashioned books. More recently, the L.A. resident has started to produce products with brands such as Land of Nod and Target, where many items from her party décor line quickly sold out. In May, she’ll release a line of patterned Band-Aids for Johnson & Johnson.—_S.B._ ### Janet Mock  NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 30: Writer Janet Mock attends Marie Claire's Second-Annual New Guard Lunch at Hearst Tower on October 30, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Marie Claire) Robin Marchant—Getty Images Alongside _Orange Is the New Black_’s Laverne Cox, writer and activist Janet Mock is one of the most visible transgender women in America, and she uses her social media platform to educate others about trans issues. Most famously, she took to [Twitter](https://twitter.com/janetmock "undefined") to criticize Piers Morgan after his talk-show [“sensationaliz\[ed\]”](https://twitter.com/janetmock/status/430894728968929280 "undefined") her life by describing her as “formerly a man” and “a boy until age 18.” (Mock says she has always identified as female.) But the author of _Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More_ routinely sheds light on other issues affecting her community, such as the plights of [CeCe McDonald](http://janetmock.com/2014/01/13/open-letter-to-cece-mcdonald-prison-release/ "undefined") and [Monica Jones](https://www.facebook.com/janetmock/photos/a.10150267124111522.372406.375092221521/10152426116541522/ "undefined") and the [disproportionate violence transgender women face](http://janetmock.com/2015/02/16/six-trans-women-killed-this-year/ "undefined").—_Nolan Feeney_ ### Justin Bieber  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 12: Justin Bieber leaves adidas Originals x Kanye West YEEZY SEASON 1 fashion show during New York Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Skylight Clarkson Sq on February 12, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by James Devaney/GC Images) Getty Images The music industry’s first major social-media success story hasn’t released an album in three years. But he still routinely makes headlines, thanks largely to his [23 million Instagram followers](https://instagram.com/justinbieber "undefined") (a shot of ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez was rumored to have [crashed the app’s servers](http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/03/is-instagram-down/ "undefined")); 78 million Facebook fans ([an apology](http://time.com/3688169/justin-bieber-apology-video/ "undefined") for his recent erratic behavior went viral); and 61 million [Twitter](https://twitter.com/justinbieber "undefined") followers (after he revealed his [Calvin Klein campaign](http://time.com/3657754/justin-bieber-calvin-klein/ "undefined"), it sparked memes, a _Saturday Night Live_ [parody](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXvo6ksBHnI "undefined") and a back-and-forth debate about whether he had been, ahem, digitally enhanced). Next up: his own social network? In 2013 Bieber [led a $1.1 million seed investment](http://fortune.com/2013/11/04/exclusive-justin-bieber-invests-in-new-social-network/ "undefined") into Shots, a selfies-only Instagram alternative.—_N.F._ ### Ta-Nehisi Coates  WASHINGTON, DC -- JUNE 13: Ta-Nehisi Coates, National Correspondent for The Atlantic Magazine, wrote the cover piece about reparations in this month's issue... (photo by Andre Chung for The Washington Post) Getty Images The writer (and former TIME contributor) is the Internet’s [leading intellectual](https://twitter.com/tanehisicoates "undefined") when it comes to talking about the intersection of race, politics and culture. His 2014 June cover story for _The Atlantic_, [“The Case for Reparations,”](http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ "undefined") broke the magazine’s single-day online traffic record and stirred debate in conservative and liberal publications alike. Meanwhile, his regular readers, nicknamed the Horde, have helped produce what’s been called the [“best comment section on the Internet.”](http://blog.longreads.com/2015/02/04/its-yours-a-short-history-of-the-horde/ "undefined")—_N.F._ ### Grace Helbig  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - SEPTEMBER 07: Comedian Grace Helbig attends the 4th Annual Streamy Awards presented by Coca-Cola on September 7, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/SAs 2014/Getty Images for DCP) Getty Images The 29-year-old [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/graciehinabox "undefined") personality started making videos in 2007 to cure spells of boredom while housesitting, but she’s since proved that building a media empire doesn’t require a traditional media background. More than 2 million people subscribe to her YouTube show _it’sGrace_, which features improvised musings about everything from pop culture to near gastrointestinal disasters. That loyal following paved the way for a book ([_Grace’s Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown-Up_](http://www.amazon.com/Graces-Guide-The-Pretending-Grown-Up/dp/1476788006 "undefined") was a New York _Times_ best-seller), corporate sponsorships (including Windows Phone and Ford Fiesta) and acting roles (she executive produced and starred in the digital feature film _Camp Takota_). Now, Helbig is poised to become a mainstream star: Her upcoming [E! talk show](http://www.eonline.com/news/607365/grace-helbig-is-coming-to-e-with-new-show-premiering-in-april-get-all-the-details "undefined") premieres in April.—_N.F._ ### Vani Hari (a.k.a. Food Babe)  Vani Hari, known as the "Food Babe", stands for a photograph at the Green Festival in Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Friday, Sept. 12, 2014\. Food Babe is the nom de blog for Hari, a 35-year-old banking consultant turned food activist, who has built a loyal online audience by calling out companies from Starbucks Corp. to Chick-fil-A Inc. for ingredients she deems harmful. Photographer: Jonathan Alcorn/Bloomberg via Getty Images Getty Images The former management consultant, 35, commands an army of amateur nutritionists who look to her blog, [Food Babe](http://foodbabe.com/ "undefined"), to see which “unsafe” ingredients they should protest next. She bills herself as an investigator, posting exposés under headlines like “General Mills or Generally Toxic?” Those tactics may sound crass, but they’re remarkably effective. Last year, for example, Hari demanded that Subway stop using azodicarbonamide, a dough conditioner she branded the “yoga mat” ingredient. Within a day, her petition had 50,000 signatures; shortly thereafter, the sandwich chain jettisoned the compound. She’s also successfully targeted Kraft and [Anheuser-Busch](http://foodbabe.com/2014/06/12/breaking-news-anheuser-busch-agrees-to-post-ingredients-online/ "undefined"), among others. Hari’s critics say she’s underqualified and irresponsibly alarmist in her attempt to build her brand. (The yoga-mat compound was ruled safe by the FDA.) But her audience doesn’t seem to mind: Food Babe logged a record 54 million visits last year, and Hari’s first book, [_The Food Babe Way_](http://www.amazon.com/The-Food-Babe-Way-Younger/dp/0316376469 "undefined"), is in stores now._—Mandy Oaklander_ ### Beyoncé  INGLEWOOD, CA - AUGUST 24: Singer Beyonce Knowles attends the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum on August 24, 2014 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for MTV) Jason Merritt—Getty Images When Beyoncé dropped her [2013 self-titled album](http://entertainment.time.com/2013/12/13/surprise-beyonce-drops-new-visual-album-without-warning/ "undefined") with no warning online, the 33-year-old pop star created a new model for releasing records (hers sold close to a million copies within a week) and inspired the likes of [Drake](http://time.com/3708693/drake-if-youre-reading-this-its-too-late-mixtape-album/ "undefined") and Azealia Banks to do the same. But her influence extends well beyond the music business: she’s mastered a kind of visual PR on her [Instagram](https://instagram.com/beyonce/ "undefined") account, where the notoriously private star will post [happy family photos](https://instagram.com/p/n-Vx%5F3Pw%5FA/?modal=true "undefined") whenever rumors of marital strife swirl—a way to dismiss gossip without saying a word. It’s that combination of rare, highly calculated intimacy and a notoriously perfectionist work ethic that drove her “7/11” video, which features Beyoncé dancing around hotels in a sweatshirt and underpants, to reach 160 million views on YouTube. Her fans, known as the Beyhive, are also one of the most active and loyal communities on the web: their vigilant dedication helped inspire a Saturday Night Live skit, “The Beygency,” about what happens when you say something bad about Queen Bey.—_N.F._ ### Gwyneth Paltrow  LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow onstage during The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/WireImage) Getty Images In 2008, the 42-year-old actress attempted to rebrand herself as a lifestyle guru with [Goop](http://goop.com/ "undefined"), a website and newsletter meant to cover Paltrow’s favorite fashions, recipes, hotels and more. That risk paid off: Goop now touts some a reported one million subscribers, giving Paltrow the power to drive sales with a single recommendation and the platform to control her own public relations. In 2014 , for example, she used GOOP to announce her [“conscious uncoupling”](http://time.com/37856/gwyneth-paltrow-chris-martin/ "undefined") from husband Chris Martin, and the term immediately started trending on Facebook and Twitter. No wonder other celebrities, such as [Blake Lively and Jessica Alba](http://time.com/3018724/blake-lively-gwyneth-paltrow-jessica-alba-goop-preserve/ "undefined"), have tried to follow in Paltrow’s footsteps._—D.D._ ### Tyler Oakley  LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 08: Internet personality Tyler Oakley attends The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the STAPLES Center on February 8, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage) Getty Images The self-consciously wacky [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/tyleroakley "undefined") star has converted nearly 6.5 million subscribers not just into followers on [Tumblr](http://tyleroakley.com/ "undefined") or podcast subscribers (though he has plenty of both) but into real-world success. This year alone, he interviewed [Michelle Obama](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ZCb4tPJqM "undefined") and his reporting on the Grammys red carpet appeared on CBS.com. He’s also become a leading LGBT activist, raising money for the [Trevor Project](http://www.thetrevorproject.org/ "undefined") and speaking out on behalf of gay youth.—_D.D._ ### Cristina Fernández de Kirchner  BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - JANUARY 30: President of Argentina, Cristina Kirchner, gives a speach during an announcement of an increase of 18.26 percent for pensions accounting for a total hike of 38.61 since September last year, at Salon de la Mujer in Casa Rosada on January 30, 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Photo by Charly Diaz Azcue/LatinContent/Getty Images) Getty Images The embattled Argentinian president, 62, may well be [Twitter](https://twitter.com/cfkargentina "undefined")‘s most candid—and controversial—politician. Last month, for example, she made [global headlines](http://time.com/3695311/argentina-president-kirchner-chinese-accent/ "undefined") for joking about Chinese accents with her 3.6 million Twitter followers, and in one of her most shared tweets, she declared that the [Mother of Dragons](https://twitter.com/CFKArgentina/status/328652433586790400 "undefined") was her favorite character in the HBO series _Game of Thrones_. Sometimes, however, it’s what she doesn’t say that stokes debate. As thousands of people gathered in Buenos Aires earlier this year to mourn the mysterious death of a high-profile prosecutor, her Twitter feed was conspicuously off-topic: “In the Chinese horoscope, I am a snake.”—_Noah Rayman_ ### Matt Drudge  Matt Drudge at the The 2005 White House Correspondents Association Dinner at The Washington Hilton in Washington D.C., -. (Photo by Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic) Getty Images Arguably the Internet’s most famous citizen journalist, Drudge rose to prominence in 1998 by [breaking the news](http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,10648,00.html "undefined") that _Newsweek_ was sitting on a story about Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The look of his site hasn’t changed much since then, but the audience has. [Drudge Report](http://www.drudgereport.com/ "undefined") now racks up almost a billion page views every month—a number that’s bound to increase as the 2016 elections loom larger—and it is at times the top driver of traffic to news websites, outpacing both Twitter and Facebook, according to Pew Research Center.—_O.B.W._ ### Yao Chen  B EIJING, CHINA - JULY 17: (CHINA OUT) Actress Yao Chen attends a press conference for the launch of Iqiyi.com Pictures Company on July 17, 2014 in Beijing, China. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) Getty Images On Chinese micro-blogging site [Weibo](http://weibo.com/yaochen "undefined"), the 35-year-old actress touts a record 77 million followers, putting her in command of a population that exceeds the size of most countries. And Yao, who became a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in 2013, frequently taps it to [advance causes](http://time.com/70808/yao-chen-2014-time-100/ "undefined") she champions. When she shared a video for an organization dedicated to combatting Pneumoconiosis in 2011, for example, the group raised $32,000 in two weeks, roughly 80 times its average inflow. Yao has also demonstrated a willingness to cross over into social commentary—a risky move in China—by criticizing smog pollution and defending a newspaper against state censors.—_N.R_. ### Bethany Mota  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 15: Bethany Mota attends the Diane Von Furstenberg fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Spring Studios on February 15, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images) Ben Gabbe—Getty Images The popular fashion and beauty blogger, who boasts 8.3 million [YouTube subscribers](https://www.youtube.com/user/Macbarbie07 "undefined") and has more than 800 million views, is also a bona-fide businesswoman who pulls in more than $500,000 in ad revenue each year. The 19-year-old has released [original music](https://twitter.com/BethanyMota/status/521501566302687232 "undefined"), interviewed [President Obama](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbR6iQ62v9k "undefined"), and even oversees her own clothing line at Aéropostale, making her the most Googled designer in the world, ahead of icons like Kate Spade and Oscar de la Renta.—_S.G_. ### Alexei Navalny  MOSCOW, RUSSIA - DECEMBER 30: Russian anti-Kremlin opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends the verdict announcement of their fraud trial at a court on December 30, 2014 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Gleb Schelkunov/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images) Getty Images The Russian [blogger](https://navalny.com/ "undefined"), 38, won a loyal following by exposing corruption in [Vladimir Putin’s regime](http://world.time.com/2013/04/15/putins-public-enemy-number-one-a-visit-with-alexei-navalny/ "undefined")—or, as he calls it, “poking the crooks with a sharp stick.” One of his posts, for example, alleged a [$4 billion corruption scheme](http://time.com/3654077/alexei-navalny-vladimir-putin-house-arrest-tracking-bracelet/ "undefined") at the state-owned oil firm Transneft; it logged a million views in a day. Naturally, this hasn’t sat well with the Kremlin, which has twice tried Navalny and sentenced him to house arrest, and recently accused him of embezzlement. But as long as he has an [Internet connection](https://twitter.com/navalny "undefined"), he will remain a major thorn in Putin’s side—and a force in Russian politics.—_N.R._ ### Brittany Furlan  BEVERLY HILLS, CA - DECEMBER 14: Brittany Furlan arrives at the 16th Annual Women's Image Awards held at Beverly Hills Women's Club on December 14, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic) Getty Images Some 8.6 million follow Furlan’s antics on [Vine](https://vine.co/brittanyfurlan "undefined"), making her the site’s biggest female celebrity. “It’s changed my whole life,” says the 28-year-old Philadelphia native, who spends anywhere from minutes to days planning the clips she will upload (many of which feature over-the-top characters, such as “Ghetto Dora the Explorer”). Now she’s set her sights set on other projects, as well, including developing a [sketch show](http://www.thewrap.com/vine-star-brittany-furlan-business-of-marketing/ "undefined") with Seth Green.—_S.G._ ### Shakira  BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 09: Shakira presents her new fragance 'Rock By Shakira' on October 9, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Europa Press/Europa Press via Getty Images) Getty Images She may not be as personally engaged on social media as some of her contemporaries, but there’s no denying Shakira’s social capital. The two-time Grammy winner touts [107 million Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/shakira "undefined") fans—more than any other person on the site, including President Obama and Taylor Swift—giving her an unparalleled platform to promote her work and her causes. A 2013 post asking people to donate money for [UNICEF’s “World Baby Shower,](http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/people%5F67552.html "undefined")” for example, tallied 1.3 million likes, nearly 90,000 shares, and helped raise enough money to provide 80,000 polio vaccines and four tons of food to children worldwide.—_S.G._ ### Denny Januar Ali  Denny Januar Ali The 52-year-old Indonesian political analyst and pollster is an unlikely candidate to compete with the likes of Ellen DeGeneres on Twitter. But in a country where politics and social media have become intertwined[, his June tweet](https://twitter.com/DennyJA%5FWORLD/status/474141231996350466 "undefined") backing then-presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi” Widodo was retweeted more than 1 million times, becoming at the time the second most shared missive in the site’s history (after [DeGeneres’ infamous Oscars selfie](https://twitter.com/theellenshow/status/440322224407314432 "undefined")). Jokowi won the election, and Januar Ali continues to share his political insight to his 2 million followers.—_N.R._ ### Anita Sarkeesian  This Jan. 17, 2013, photo provided by Anita Sarkeesian shows her with vintage video game machines in MInneapolis. Sarkeesian has canceled a speech at Utah State University after learning the school would allow concealed firearms despite an anonymous threat against her. Sarkeesian was scheduled to give a presentation on the portrayal of women in video games Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014\. She decided to cancel Tuesday after the university received an anonymous threat from a person who threatened to carry out a mass shooting if the event was held. Sarkeesian pulled out after learning from university officials that concealed weapons would be permitted, as long as attendees have a valid concealed firearm permit in accordance with Utah law. (AP Photo/Alex Lazara) AP Amid the [#Gamergate controversy](http://time.com/3510381/gamergate-faq/ "undefined"), this Canadian-American feminist became perhaps the most public critic of sexism in the gaming community (via her [blog](http://www.feministfrequency.com/ "undefined"), [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/user/feministfrequency "undefined") and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/femfreq "undefined") account), which earned her thousands of fans—and almost as many enemies. (She says she received [death threats](http://time.com/3509933/anita-sarkeesian-threat/ "undefined").) More recently, her blog, Feminist Frequency, got funding from Intel’s initiative to promote diversity in tech.—_S.B._ ### Josh Ostrovsky (a.k.a. The Fat Jew)  NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 16: Josh "The Fat Jew" Ostrovsky attends the Karen Walker fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Pier 59 on February 16, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images) Getty Images The raunchy comedian is the Internet’s court jester, posting [funny photo memes](https://instagram.com/p/z0nCZKDuJj/?modal=true "undefined") (many of which he lifts from sites like Reddit and Tumblr) and absurdly posed photos of himself, all to the delight—and sometimes chagrin—of his [3.2 million Instagram followers](https://instagram.com/thefatjewish/ "undefined"). Now brands have started to pay for exposure to that audience. Last year, Stella Artois flew Ostrovsky to the Cannes Film Festival where he partied with Sharon Stone and poured rosé all over himself (for an Instagram photo). Ostrovsky is also eyeing more traditional media, working on a book and shows for Amazon and Comedy Central.—_S.G._ ### Brandon Stanton  NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 12: Photographer Brandon Stanton attends the Little Humans of New York panel at 2014 New York Comic Con Day 4 at Jacob Javitz Center on October 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Stewart/WireImage) Michael Stewart—WireImage/Getty Images The 30-year-old photographer behind [Humans of New York](http://www.humansofnewyork.com/ "undefined"), the massively popular photo blog, has more than 15 million fans across social media. But his biggest moment happened earlier this year, when he posted a [photo of Vidal Chastanet](https://www.facebook.com/humansofnewyork/photos/a.102107073196735.4429.102099916530784/865948056812629/ "undefined"), a 13-year-old student from Brownsville, a neighborhood with one of the highest crime rates in New York. In the caption, Chastanet revealed the person who inspired him most: his principal, Ms. Lopez, because “when we get in trouble, she doesn’t suspend us. She calls us to her office and explains how society was built around us. And she tells us that each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built. And one time she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter.” The post eventually sparked a [fundraising campaign](https://life.indiegogo.com/fundraisers/let-s-send-kids-to-harvard "undefined") (set up by Stanton) to send sixth graders from Chastanet’s school to visit Harvard. The initial goal was set at [$100,000.](http://time.com/3687136/humans-of-new-york-hony-founder-raises-700000-plus-for-inner-city-kids-to-visit-harvard/ "undefined") In less than three weeks, it raised nearly $1.5 million.—_Ashley Ross_ ### J.K. Rowling  LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 09: J.K. Rowling attends the Lumos fundraising event hosted by J.K. Rowling at The Warner Bros. Harry Potter Tour on November 9, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Getty Images for Lumos) Getty Images The author, 49, has given Harry Potter new life online, answering [fan questions](https://twitter.com/jk%5Frowling/status/563634348524843008 "undefined"), teasing future projects and revealing uberviral plot extras to her 4.2 million followers on Twitter. Among the buzziest ones: [A cryptic riddle about ](http://time.com/3647520/harry-potter-jk-rowling-2014/ "undefined")[_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_](http://time.com/3647520/harry-potter-jk-rowling-2014/ "undefined")_,_ the Potter spinoff screenplay she’s writing, and the fact that there are [Jewish wizards](http://time.com/3637201/j-k-rowling-jewish-wizards-anthony-goldstein/ "undefined") at Hogwarts. She’s also especially giving on her fansite, Pottermore, which crashed last July after Rowling posted a [new story](http://time.com/2965574/j-k-rowling-new-harry-potter-story/ "undefined") about Harry Potter as a 30-something.—_A.R._ ### Narendra Modi  NEW DELHI, INDIA - FEBRUARY 1: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign rally at Dwarka on February 1, 2015 in New Delhi, India. Modi said, "Don't do aadha-adhoora. Delhi has lost one year. Losing one year means going back by 25 years. Elect a majority govt. BJP not only worked for authorization of these colonies but also for providing services there. Providing facilities to the unauthorized colonies is my priority" (Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Getty Images The Indian Prime Minister has roughly 38 million total followers on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/narendramodi "undefined") and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/narendramodi "undefined"), more than any other leader in the world except President Obama. And unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognizes that social media can be invaluable when trying to reach India’s 200 million-plus online population directly. Last year, for example, he announced President Obama’s upcoming visit to India on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/535794981332459521 "undefined"), bypassing traditional media outlets.—_N.R._ ### Jimmy Fallon  THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 0202 -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Michael Keaton during an interview with host Jimmy Fallon on February 2, 2015 -- (Photo by: Douglas Gorenstein/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) Getty Images Whereas his Tonight Show predecessor, Jay Leno, traded in bits that were fun but ultimately disposable, 40-year-old Fallon—who came of age with the –Internet—creates can’t-miss moments engineered to go viral. Among them: reuniting the cast of [_Saved by the Bell_](http://time.com/3696826/jimmy-fallon-saved-by-the-bell-reunion-tonight-show/ "undefined") nearly 22 years after the finale and coaxing actress [Emma Stone into lip-synching](http://time.com/80790/emma-stone-jimmy-fallon-lip-sync/ "undefined") to “All I Do Is Win.” That verve has made _The Tonight Show_ a virtual powerhouse. Fallon himself touts [22 million followers on Twitter](https://twitter.com/jimmyfallon "undefined"), more than quadruple the number of rival host Jimmy Kimmel. And his show has 6 million subscribers on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/latenight "undefined"), dwarfing figures from Comedy Central and _The Late Show With David Letterman_ (170,000)_._ “Time slot doesn’t matter to me,” Fallon has said. “If people want to see you, they’ll find you.” To wit: NBC estimates that 70% of _The Tonight Show_ views are happening online.—_D.D._ ### Caitlin McNeill  Is this dress white and gold or black and blue? It’s a question the [whole world was asking last week](http://time.com/3725628/the-dress-caitlin-mcneill-post-tumblr-viral/ "undefined"), and the person who prompted it was McNeill, a 21-year-old Scottish singer and guitarist, who uploaded the dress photo from a wedding in Colonsay. Within days, her [Tumblr](http://swiked.tumblr.com/post/112073818575/guys-please-help-me-is-this-dress-white-and "undefined") entry had been aggregated by BuzzFeed and virtually every other media outlet, and hundreds of millions of people had weighed in on the debate, including [Taylor Swift](http://time.com/3725450/dress-taylor-swift-black-blue-white-gold-celebrities/ "undefined") and [Kim Kardashian](https://twitter.com/kimkardashian/status/571168149871177730 "undefined"). Eventually, Roman, the U.K. brand that sells the dress, settled the debate: although the optics in the photo are undeniably wonky, the dress is [definitely black and blue](http://time.com/3725758/proof-dress-black-and-blue/ "undefined").—_O.B.W._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3732203/the-30-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3732203/the-30-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/"},"headline":"The 30 Most Influential People on the Internet","datePublished":"2015-03-05T14:21:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:47:56.640Z","description":"From Taylor Swift to The Jester, meet the most influential people on the Internet","url":"https://time.com/3732203/the-30-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/","keywords":["Newsfeed"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"TIME Staff","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/time-staff/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3732203/the-30-most-influential-people-on-the-internet/","name":"The 30 Most Influential People on the Internet"}}]}] ```