Kim Kardashian is not internet-influential anymore, according to Time
Time just published its fourth annual list of what it considers to be the Most Influential People On The Internet, and stirred up a bit of publicity for itself by leaving Kim Kardashian off the list for the first time. But, while Kim still has one of the largest social media followings in the entire world, Time‘s omission isn’t just good marketing (though it’s definitely that). It’s also a simple acknowledgement that, in 2018, Kim’s moment of cultural dominance has in many ways passed.
Again, let’s be clear: Kim Kardashian has a total of 173.2 million followers on her Instagram and Twitter accounts alone, so it’s not like we’re trying to say that she’s a pale imitation of her former influencer self. However, consider Time‘s own criteria for inclusion on the list: the magazine “evaluated contenders by looking at their global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news.” Kim Kardashian is probably a bigger marketing influence than she’s ever been — but what has she done over the past twelve months that fits either category?