TIME

The most influential people on the Internet

Miquela has more than 1.2 million followers on Instagram, including Diplo and Lena Dunham

FOR OUR FOURTH ANNUAL LIST OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE on the Internet, TIME evaluated contenders by looking at their global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news. Here are some highlights from the full list, available at time.com/internet2018

Lil Miquela

The virtual supermodel

Lil Miquela has all the makings of an Instagram ingenue, from the effortless good looks to the philosophy-lite selfie captions (“You can be not okay and still be strong”). The glaring difference? The self-described artist—also known as Miquela Sousa—isn’t actually real; she’s a virtual avatar whose origins and purpose are mysterious. (She was built by an entity called Cain Intelligence—which may or may not exist—before being taken over by Brud, an L.A.-based computer-software firm,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from TIME

TIME3 min read
How Nature Reacts To A Total Eclipse
Of all of the animals worth observing during a total solar eclipse, perhaps none are more intriguing than humans. They stop what they’re doing; they stare skyward; they lower their voices to a hush. Some may even shed tears. Other species of animals
TIME3 min read
Stepping Up
Where do you find influence in 2024? You can start with the offices of the Anti-Corruption Foundation in Vilnius, Lithuania, where TIME met with Yulia Navalnaya earlier this spring. There, the activist is working with 60 supporters—whose anti-Kremlin
TIME2 min readAmerican Government
Bolsonaro And Trump, Apart Yet Together
A president facing a tough fight for re-election warns his followers that corrupt elites want to steal power from them. He loses the election and calls on his supporters to defend him. Unable to block the transfer of power, he retreats to Florida. Hi

Related Books & Audiobooks