New York:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hasbeen named among the 30 most influential people on theinternet by Time magazine in a list which also features US President Barack Obama. The list, which analysed social-media followings, sitetraffic and overall ability to drive news, also includes British author of the Harry Potter series JK Rowling and singers Taylor Swift and Beyonce.
Time said the Indian Prime Minister has roughly 38 million followers on social networking sites Twitter andFacebook, putting him ahead of any other leaders in the worldexcept Obama. "And unlike many of his contemporaries, Modi recognisesthat social media can be invaluable when trying to reachIndia's 200 million-plus online population directly," the Timemagazine said.
Modi, an ardent user of social media to communicate withpeople, announced in an unconventional way, Obama's strategicvisit to India in January this year. He took to Twitter tomake the announcement, "by passing traditional media outlets,"the magazine said.
Time said given the power of the social media, anyonewith a web connection can start a global conversation. "Yes, it helps to be famous in real life. But the rise ofsocial networks has levelled the playing field, allowingunknowns to command audiences rivalling those of real-worldleaders, even if by accident," it said. On Obama's virtual influence, Time said the US Presidentis the most-liked world leader on Facebook and themost-followed on Twitter.
"But more impressively, Obama is able to meme himself topush an agenda," Time said citing a video he featured in forAmerican internet news media company Buzzfeed. In it Obamaused a selfie stick 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 milliontimes. The list also includes reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Justin Beiber, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, Chinese actressYao Chen, singer Shakira, photographer behind the hugely popular blog Humans of New York Brandon Stanton and TVpersonality Jimmy Fallon.
