[burgerbrain]

To clarifiy: the Times person of the year award has never been something that indicates praise. Hitler got it after all.

Similarly, the nobel peace price was worthless long before it was awarded to Obama, precisely because it was being awarded to people that had not earned it.

[abbasmehdi]

Person of the year is not the same as "hero of the year". I think it has to do more with who wielded the greatest influence on the world that year (for better or for the worse). Iranian president was considered as well sometime ago (and he is a nutty boy!)

Also, I don’t think it has to do with greatest number of people impacted, rather the avg impact multiplied by the number of folks affected. Wikileaks impact on say 30 million people * how much the average impacted individual’s life has changed > Zuck’s impact on 600 million people * the very marginal change in the life of average user. I also wonder if this change need be 'real' or 'perceived'.