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Rich Kids of the Internet

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For other works with the original title, see Rich Kids of Instagram.

Rich Kids of the Internet, also known as RKOI, is a social media channel and brand.[1][2][3] Originally called Rich Kids of Instagram, it started as a hashtag in 2012 which subsequently became a popular Tumblr photo blog;[4] it started its own Instagram channel in 2014.[5][6] RKOI curates images of ultra-wealthy young people flaunting their luxury lifestyles.[2][2] As of 2020, they were paying $2,000 to be featured.[2][7][8][9]

The site's early motto was, "They have more money than you and this is what they do."[10][11] The first post went viral with a picture of Michael Dell's teenage son enjoying a buffet on the family jet on the way to Fiji, taken by his sister.[1][2][12] The identity of who was behind Rich Kids of Instagram remained secret for eight years, leading to comparisons with the Netflix show Gossip Girl.[13][1]

British entrepreneur James Ison was revealed as the founder in 2020.[1] He had started posting as an economics student at Oxford Brookes University, and was soon contacted by two New Yorkers who became his partners.[1] RKOI officially changed its name to Rich Kids of the Internet after receiving a legal letter from Facebook, which acquired Instagram.[1]

Influencers regularly featured on RKOI included Tiffany Trump, daughter of the American president; Christian Combs, son of Sean "Diddy" Combs; EJ Johnson, son of basketball star Magic Johnson; hotel heir Baron Hilton; Indian entrepreneur Evan Luthra; and Modolvan Daria Radionova.[1][14][15][10]

Since its launch, RKOI has spawned many imitators worldwide.[16] It also became the basis for a 2014 novel called Rich Kids of Instagram, co-authored by the creator of RKOI and Maya Sloan.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Hewitson, Jessie (15 August 2020). "How James Ison started the Rich Kids of Instagram". The Times. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Rich Kids of the Internet: the Instagram account super-wealthy millennials pay US$2,000 to be featured on – set up by a teen student who grew up in a bungalow". Style. South China Morning Post. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  3. ^ Leban, Marina; Thomsen, Thyra Uth; von Wallpach, Sylvia; Voyer, Benjamin G. (March 2021). "Constructing Personas: How High-Net-Worth Social Media Influencers Reconcile Ethicality and Living a Luxury Lifestyle". Journal of Business Ethic. 169 (2): 225–239. doi:10.1007/s10551-020-04485-6 – via ProQuest.
  4. ^ Cohen, Scott; Liu, Hongbo; Gössling, Stefan (2021). "The Rich Kids of Instagram: Luxury Travel, Transport Modes, and Desire". Journal of Travel Research. 61 (7): 1479–1494. doi:10.1177/00472875211037748.
  5. ^ Hoflower, Hillary (12 August 2019). "Bugattis in Switzerland, yacht trips to Montenegro, and $50,000 watches: Take a look at how the 'Rich Kids of Instagram' are spending their summers". Business Insider. Retrieved 10 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  6. ^ Kanter, Jake (10 November 2015). "C4 doc explores Rich Kids of Instagram". Broadcast. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  7. ^ Hoffower, Hillary (18 March 2019). "7 ways rich millennials spend and display their money differently than rich baby boomers". Business Insider. Retrieved 7 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  8. ^ Premack, Rachel (22 October 2018). "Outrageous photos show how the 'Rich Kids of Instagram' spend their parents' fortunes". Business Insider. Retrieved 10 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  9. ^ Quart, Alissa (30 June 2018). "On social media, everyone's rich: Approximating authenticity online is not such a tall order. Why don't we do it?". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 10 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  10. ^ a b "Romney's granddaughter poses in designer dress on lavish 'Rich Kids of Instagram' blog". Asian News International. New Delhi. 4 November 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  11. ^ Waak, Anne (20 July 2014). "Selfie mit Privatjet". Welt am Sonntag. Retrieved 9 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ Cefalu, Christiana (24 September 2012). "21st Century Risks". Barron's. Retrieved 9 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  13. ^ Stone, Madeline; Jacobs, Sarah (21 September 2015). "The 'Insta-famous' sons and daughters of New York's elite let me into their circle — here's what it was like". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  14. ^ Swerdloff, Alexis (13 December 2015). "Meet the Self-Proclaimed 'Kris Jenner' of the Clique That Brings Together a Kennedy, a Matisse, and a Trump". The Cut. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  15. ^ Singh, Devika (25 September 2016). "Got it, Flaunt it: The Rich Kids of Instagram have a lavish and ostentatious lifestyle". Business Today. New Delhi. Retrieved 8 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  16. ^ Sykes, Tom (27 February 2016). "Are The Rich Kids of Instagram Really Rich?: Their pictures show yachts, champagne, and lives of excess and glamor, but the foreign rich kids of Instagram may not be as rich as they seem". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 7 February 2025 – via ProQuest.
  17. ^ Vargas-Cooper, Natasha (October 2014). "The Acquisitive Self, Minus the Self". The Baffler. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
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