The Mashable 101: These are the creators shaping the internet in 2025

Our lives are inextricably intertwined with what happens in digital spaces – from the news and current events we consume, to the TV and music we stream, and the viral videos we share in the group chat.

American teens spend about 5 hours a day on social media. Internet users in the U.S. reportedly spend more than 7 hours online daily.

Driving it all? The content creators we love (and, sure, some you may love to hate).

About 57 percent of Gen Z aspire to be content creators someday. The creator economy is expected to reach $480 billion in the next two years, according to some projections.

These creators are shaping trends, what we consume and share, how we think, build, and connect online.

It’s the reason the team at Mashable felt compelled to craft The Mashable 101, our ultimate list of the creators shaping the internet in the past year.

From the high-profile names you may recognize like MrBeast and Kai Cenat, to those who’ve surprised and delighted their way into the spotlight in the past year like Jools Lebron and Reesa Teesa, these creators, listed in no particular order, have been chosen for their ability to entertain, drive conversation, educate, inspire, or capture our attention again and again – sometimes to positive effect, but not always.

Some on our list may not be content creators by trade but have broken through all the same, at times in surprising ways. Others are behind the tools and platforms that keep us online and coming back for more (like BlueSky and Canva CEOs Jay Graber and Melanie Perkins). Our package also includes five cover stories, featuring creators Taryn Delanie Smith, Tineka “Tini” Younger, Arun Maini, Tefi Pessoa, and Morgan Jay.

All are cultivating engaged online communities and, in their own ways, are defining – and redefining – what the internet looks and sounds like right now.

And who better than Mashable to curate a list like this? Our team is and has been a leading source for digital culture, from the creator economy and internet trends to influencer news and the tech that powers it all. Mashable’s reporters and editors don’t just write about digital culture, they’re embedded in it.

Our list is not just about numbers, though there are many creators here who have amassed huge followings. It’s also filled with those who cut through the noise, jumped onto our feeds and caught our attention in the past year (through August 2025), who we’ve featured on our pages, or who are creating compelling content in the spaces we, too, love and cover – including tech, science, entertainment, social good and more.

So many members of our team, too, brought a little of themselves, their feeds and their personal interests to this months-long effort. And in that way, this list highlights not only these standout creators but also what makes Mashable such a special publication.

You may know some of these creators already; we hope to introduce you to a few new voices, too.

They’ve made us laugh, made us cry, and helped shape how we see the world. Now without further ado, dive in and meet the creators shaping the now and building what’s next in The Mashable 101.

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