--- title: In Defense of Influencers description: "Despite how you feel about influencers—love them, or hate them—they are undeniably impacting our culture, our economy, and our politics." canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/03/09/in-defense-of-influencers/ author: Cyrus Veyssi article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-03-10T01:50:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-11T01:24:47.384Z article:section: Ideas og:title: In Defense of Influencers og:description: "Despite how you feel about influencers—love them, or hate them—they are undeniably impacting our culture." og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/03/09/in-defense-of-influencers/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte78a9bd81e29e259/69af7570035c6f81507a2f98/defense-of-Influencers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: defense-of-Influencers.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: In Defense of Influencers twitter:description: "Despite how you feel about influencers—love them, or hate them—they are undeniably impacting our culture." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte78a9bd81e29e259/69af7570035c6f81507a2f98/defense-of-Influencers.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  IDEAS Time ideas # In Defense of Influencers > Sponsored content. 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A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. by [Cyrus Veyssi](https://time.com/author/cyrus-veyssi/) ## Cyrus Veyssi Veyssi is a creator, writer, and comedian based in New York City Mar 10, 2026 1:50 AM UTC  Photo-Illustration by TIME (Source Images: Tatiana Lavrova, LumiNola, Mensent Photography, Oscar Wong, Cunaplus\_M.Faba, Tolga TEZCAN, tomograf, spxChrome—Getty Images) by [Cyrus Veyssi](https://time.com/author/cyrus-veyssi/) ## Cyrus Veyssi Veyssi is a creator, writer, and comedian based in New York City Mar 10, 2026 1:50 AM UTC The global creator economy is a multi-billion-dollar business—and it is only growing. According to [Goldman Sachs](https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/the-creator-economy-could-approach-half-a-trillion-dollars-by-2027), the sector should be worth $480 billion by 2027. With millions of creators worldwide, many of whom are generating income through brand partnerships, affiliate deals, and platform monetization, influencers are likely popping up any time you pick up a phone to scroll. And despite how you feel about influencers—love them, or hate them—they are undeniably impacting our culture, our economy, and our politics. Businesses are betting big on the creator economy, often relying on influencers to translate their messaging to the masses and to market their products on the platforms where young consumers spend their time. But there is a wide gap between the dollars being invested in creators and the respect that is paid to them. It is time to take influencers seriously. ## Creator culture The cultural impact of the creator class is often drastically underestimated. Many people think of influencers as constant commercial spokespeople who post products on their Instagram stories, share commission links daily, and parade around major cities sipping $9 matcha lattes and wearing their gifted $300 workout sets. But these so-called “basic influencer girlies” are generating sales and driving popular culture. And a “viral moment” is cultural history by any other name. Like it or not, influencers’ TikTok dances are being woven into our cultural identities. Influencers’ Pinterest boards are dictating what our most significant cultural moments—like weddings, bridal showers, and birthday parties—look like in the real world. And influencers are identifying the brands, music, and TV shows that Americans consume. Influencers even impact how we talk to one another, as they drive, shape, and innovate our language. Take [Jools Lebron](https://www.tiktok.com/@joolieannie?lang=en), whose viral craze over her articulation of “very demure” made its way throughout the pop culture lexicon like wildfire. Or [Jonathan Graziano,](https://www.tiktok.com/@jongraz?lang=en) whose TikTok series picking up his elderly dog Noodles and determining if it was a “bones day” or a “no bones day,” not only went viral, but created a new expression in the process. Graziano has since turned his catchphrase into a [book](https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Noodle-and-the-No-Bones-Day/Jonathan-Graziano/Noodle-and-Jonathan/9781665927109). ## Economic influence Influencers are not only shaping what products consumers buy, they are shaping how our economy operates. For instance, [one study ](https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2025/08/27/how-social-media-became-america-s-new-shopping-mall)found that 56% of Americans use social media as their primary tool to research products they want to buy. According to the [Digital Marketing Institute](https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you), influencer marketing campaigns are paying off big for brands, generating roughly $5.78 for every dollar spent. And influencers are also disrupting how consumers shop. Take the TikTok shop for example. I would argue that the TikTok shop has not only made it easier for consumers to shop more efficiently, but has also democratized the monetization standards for smaller creators, some of whom, with as little as 10,000 followers, can now make triple that of a creator with over a million followers. This is not just a new economic tool—it is a new economic system. ## How influencers impact our politics There’s also a vast community of influencers who have shown us the power of using their voice to impact the way we navigate politics, from [education](https://www.tiktok.com/@dadadvicefrombo?lang=en) and [awareness](https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney?lang=en) to [organizing](https://sites.tufts.edu/fletcherrussia/the-tiktok-war-how-ukraines-civilians-rewrote-the-information-battlefield/) on the frontlines of war. Living through a constant state of “unprecedented times” has produced fodder for creators to break down current events into digestible information. This kind of bite-sized political content has created an opportunity for influencers to educate a wide range of people. A great example is [Blair Imani](https://www.tiktok.com/@blairimani?lang=en), an author, historian, and creator whose “Smarter in Seconds” series breaks down socio-political issues into very basic, helpful explanations in less than 60 seconds. Another example is the unbelievably charismatic [V Spehar](https://www.tiktok.com/discover/v-spehar?lang=en), whose “Under the Desk News” series of short-form political analysis was so successful and compelling that it has also been turned into a long-form podcast. We also see how influencers who dominate pop culture have contributed to political campaigns to inspire hope, excitement, and engagement. A great example of this is the recently-appointed New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani’s epic campaign. The Mamdani campaign not only expertly leveraged social media, it also [worked](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/zohran-mamdanis-private-influencer-briefing-rcna240260) directly with [influencers](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/business/media/zohran-mamdani-social-media-creators.html)—from joining a rapid-fire interview with social media sensation [Tefi Pessoa](https://www.tiktok.com/@hellotefi/video/7568526057603730718) to appearing on [Subway Takes](https://www.tiktok.com/@subwaytakes/video/7518764689472408863?lang=en) with [Kareem Rahma](https://www.tiktok.com/@kareemrahma?lang=en). The “hot take” Mamadani shared with Rahma? He should be mayor. It wasn’t a complicated message. TikTok—and influencers—helped him get that message out. Influencers can no longer be underestimated or ignored. They fuel our economy, culture, and our politics. And they are here to stay. [TIME Ideas](https://www.time.com/ideas) hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. 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