No. 1. Perez Hilton (Mario Lavandeira)
Celebrity gossip blogger, Perezhilton.com
For the third year running controversial gossip blogger Perez Hilton (real name: Mario Lavandeira) reigns supreme over the world of Web celebrity. He runs what he calls "Hollywood's most hated Web site," an off-color blend of rumor, opinion and immature humor. The site attracts more than 7.2 million people a month, putting it among the 500 most-visited sites on the Internet, and Hilton has more than 1.77 million Twitter followers.
No. 2. Michael Arrington
Tech blogger, Techcrunch.com
One of the most powerful people in Silicon Valley, Michael Arrington is founder and editor of TechCrunch, an influential blog that's a go-to news source for the tech-business cognoscenti. The site obsessively profiles and reviews Internet entrepreneurs, products and services--a mere mention of a company on its pages can make or break a startup. In 2009 Arrington made headlines when he announced plans to launch the CrunchPad, a high-tech e-reader, but the project flamed out in November amid a conflict with his partners.
No. 3. Pete Cashmore
Tech blogger, Mashable.com
Tech media wunderkind Pete Cashmore started working as a Web technology consultant when he was a teenager, and founded the Web site Mashable from his home in Scotland when he was just 19. Now based in Silicon Valley, it's a must-read for the tech cognoscenti, and Cashmore is widely regarded as an expert on how to use, consume and profit from social media. Cashmore also boasts more Twitter followers (almost 2 million) than any other Web Celeb.
No. 4. Evan Williams & Biz Stone
Entrepreneurs, Twitter.com
In 2009 Twitter went from tech-industry obsession to national phenomenon; Oprah even dedicated an entire show to the micro-blogging service. In turn, founders Evan Williams and Isaac "Biz" Stone have become celebrities in their own right. They're frequently interviewed in print and broadcast media, and with more than 2.8 million Twitter followers between them, the two are closely watched by legions of geeky fans.
No. 5. Kevin Rose
Founder, Digg.com; videoblogger
In 2004 geek icon Kevin Rose founded Digg, a social bookmarking site that allows users to share and vote on their favorite news stories. The site has become a focal point of the tech community, boasting more than 35 million visitors a month. Rose is also well known as a producer and host for online tech channel Revision3; his weekly video podcast Diggnation, co-hosted with Alex Albrecht, is a must-catch for the tech crowd. Rose recently announced plans to write his first book, One to One Million.
No. 6. Guy Kawasaki
Entrepreneur; blogger, Guykawasaki.com
Guy Kawasaki has been a venture capitalist, entrepreneur and author; as an employee for Apple Computer he was on the team that helped launch and market the original Macintosh in 1984. Today he runs several startups as managing director of Garage Technology Ventures. He also blogs, gives speeches, is frequently quoted in the media and is a top Twitter user.
No. 7. Heather "Dooce" Armstrong
Blogger, Dooce.com; mom
Heather Armstrong first made news back in 2002, when she was fired from her job because she'd been writing about work in her personal blog. The site, Dooce.com, is named for a typo committed when she tried to spell "dude" during an instant messaging chat. It follows Armstrong's adventures as a Salt Lake City stay-at-home-mom. In 2009 her second book, It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita, was released and reached No. 16 on the New York Times bestseller list.
No. 8. Tila "Tequila" Nguyen
Model, singer. Tilashotspot.buzznet.com
Tila Tequila rose to fame circa 2006 when she became the person with the most "friends" on Myspace.com. The (sometimes nude) model later landed a reality dating show on MTV, released an album and a book and made numerous guest appearances in TV and movies. But she fell off the list of Web Celebs until 2009, when her near-obsessive use of Twitter fueled a number of tabloid news stories about her life and career.
No. 9. Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine expert; blogger, Garyvaynerchuk.com
Thousands of "Vayniacs" will testify to the promotional powers of this Internet icon. The son of Belarusian immigrants has built a family liquor store in New Jersey into a multimillion-dollar wine business, supported by a passionate community of online drinkers. His daily video webcast, Wine Library TV, has reached more than 800 episodes. In 2009, the "social media sommelier" released a bestselling book, Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on your Passion.
No. 10. Cory Doctorow
Author and blogger, Craphound.com
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