Those chosen for 2025 TIME 100 Creators List are diverse, bold, and on target. But while TIME got the “who” right, it missed the “why it matters” on some of its most controversial figures — failing to interrogate how some influencers wield their platforms in ways that are misleading, harmful, or socially corrosive.
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This is nothing new. TIME Magazine has a pattern of whitewashing. Their “100” lists and people “of the year” feature some of the best and the worst — like Adolf Hitler as Man of the Year in 1938. But all of these people are indeed impactful in their own right. That’s why they make the list.
In a letter describing how the list was compiled, TIME’s editor-in-chief, Sam Jacobs, explained:
Most of the people on our list face pressure to respond to news, and criticism comes when their comments don’t match audiences’ expectations. Some of them are polarizing; some of them are delightful—at least for now, until the day they inevitably say something to inflame their followers or those who don’t follow them at all.
Evidently, TIME made an editorial decision to downplay those with “polarizing” views.
So yes, it is important to bring all this to attention, because TIME certainly hasn’t. Here’s what has been left out of the bios of some of the most problematic TIME 100 figures across the board over the last few years.
Joe Rogan: A “cultural force” (2022, 2025)
One of the most well-known and successful podcasters in the industry, Joe Rogan talks about anything and everything on his show — and that means talking to anyone and everyone. TIME called him “a hero to many tired of strict partisanship and looking for a voice to trust.” This year, he was on both the Creators List and the Most Influential People’s List.
His “creators” bio then proceeded with his controversial history: “Yet his commentary and his willingness to platform virtually anyone he deems interesting—including those who promote conspiracy theories and target trans people, among other marginalized groups—has drawn criticism.”
What TIME failed to disclose is that Rogan has hosted Holocaust revisionists like Darryl Cooper, and did not push back on his views that downplay Nazi atrocities. In fact, he asked Cooper to explain his views.
Rogan is also responsible for spreading antisemitic tropes like this:
The idea that Jewish people are not into money is ridiculous. That’s like saying Italians aren’t into pizza.
And certainly not the least of his offenses: defending Kanye West’s “Heil Hitler” song.
Theo Von: The “Comic Truth-Teller” (2025)
Theo Von is a self-proclaimed “idiot.” His TIME bio describes him as a “good hang,” and he is. His show This Past Weekend includes conversations about school lunches, drugs, politics, and everything in between.
Although he has range, TIME whitewashes his influence.
Whether interviewing President Donald Trump or socialist streamer Hasan Piker on his popular podcast, This Past Weekend—has made him an unlikely conduit for regular Americans to learn about and engage with politics.
But for someone who claims to be open to learning new things, he’s hosted several antisemites and terror supporters without inviting on guests to challenge their perspectives or push back on their extreme views. Presenting politics like this is dangerous, particularly for those whose only exposure may come through this limited context.
For one, he’s hosted alt-right podcaster and political commentator Candace Owens, who claimed that “Israel controls the U.S. through blackmail.”
Von has also given airtime to Ian Carroll, as did Rogan. Carroll is a known conspiracist who falsely claimed Jews were “behind 9/11.”
What’s more is that among his interviews, he has hosted conversations about “globalist elites” and “shadow control,” which is coded antisemitic language.
Hasan Piker: A “Bold Guide” (2025)
TIME says, “he is a polarizing figure who has been temporarily suspended by Twitch multiple times for his commentary, generating press far beyond the world of streaming. After every suspension, he’s back at it.”
Piker isn’t just an “activist” who unapologetically stands up for his beliefs. But if you didn’t know him, that’s what you would think after reading his “100” bio.
TIME reporter Meg Zukin erases what his commentary actually is: Jew hate.
For one, he mocked the brutal sexual violence carried out on October 7 by Hamas, and other terrorists who joined them in the attacks on Israelis. Piker said “it doesn’t matter if rapes happened.”
He has also called Zionists “sick freaks,” said Islamic terror group Hamas is the “lesser evil” compared to the IDF, “America deserved 9/11” and referred to ultra-Orthodox Jews as “inbred.”
Piker is an antisemitic terror propagandist.
Related Reading: Hasan Piker: How A Jew-Hating, Hamas-Loving Streamer Seduced the New York Times
Motaz Azaiza: “The World’s Eyes and Ears” (2024)
TIME paints him as the “world’s eyes and ears” into Gaza, and even highlights the risks “journalists” face by Israel in Gaza and his bravery in continuing to bring his peoples’ stories to light.
It is stunningly irresponsible for @Time to allow Motaz Azaiza to rewrite history and to declare him one of the most influential people of 2024. On October 7, he celebrated the start of the war he’s now “raising awareness” for the world to stop. https://t.co/e1uKX8lqHu https://t.co/0cQmAvlV8I
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) April 17, 2024
More specifically, Azaiza posted videos of Hamas kidnapping Israelis into Gaza on October 7. One of his since-removed tweets also triumphantly showed Hamas terrorists inside Israel. The Arabic reads, “The Gazans entered the settlements!!!!!!!! With jeeps we see in the streets of Gaza.”
This alone is problematic enough to warrant more context on who he is.
Why did TIME ignore his terror-glorifying posts on October 7 and conveniently skip to the part in which he is apparently giving a voice to the voiceless?
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani: The “Peace Negotiator” (2024)
TIME described him as the ruler of a country performing an incredible “balancing act.”
In his dual role as Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, has ridden point on the turbulent negotiations that so far have produced a weeklong cease-fire and the release of more than 100 hostages. In Qatar, host to both a massive U.S. air base and a Taliban office, balancing acts are a court tradition.
It’s jaw-dropping to just gloss over hosting Taliban officials in your country, and to mention the negotiation for hostages and a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas without mentioning that Qatar funds terror and has been for many years, along with housing senior Hamas officials in its country. They aren’t balancing both sides — they have Israeli blood and Palestinian blood, for that matter, on their hands.
Muna and Mohammed El Kurd: World-Shifting “Sibling Activists” (2021)
Ex-TIME reporter Sanya Mansoor portrays the twins as inspirational activists who bring awareness to the struggle of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
What on earth is terror supporter, serial liar and spreader of vicious libels Mohammed El-Kurd doing on this @TIME ‘100 Most Influential People’ list?
At the very least his repeated lies and vicious smears should be noted. Why are they totally overlooked? pic.twitter.com/KFumG9pDdu
— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) September 16, 2021
However, she ignores Mohammad’s baseless anti-Israel smears and obvious antisemitic tropes while inciting violence on social media, like when he called the IDF “sadistic and bloodthirsty” and boosted lies about Israel killing Palestinians to harvest their organs. Muna’s own antisemitic, terror-supporting content — like glorifying infamous Fatah-faction PLO terrorist Dalal al-Mughrabi — are left out.
Related Reading: Time Magazine Includes Palestinian Terrorist-Supporting El-Kurd Twins in Top 100 List
When will TIME magazine stop sugar-coating terror supporters, antisemites and other problematic figures and start telling the whole truth?
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Cover image credits via Getty Images:
– Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
– Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
– Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
