Time names 'The Silence Breakers' who began movement against sexual harassment as Person of the Year

Time Magazine named its Person of the Year 2017, but it's not one person.

Edward Felsenthal, the magazine's editor in chief, named its selection as a group of people dubbed as "The Silence Breakers" who created the powerful movement that exposed the harrowing predominance sexual harassment in the U.S. and around the world, according to NBC's "Today."

How does Time choose its Person of the Year?

Since 1927, Time has named a person or group of persons whose influence has most impacted the news and events of the past year, whether for "good or ill," "Today" reported.

"The idea that influential, inspirational individuals shape the world could not be more apt this year," Felsenthal told "Today." "For giving voice to open secrets, for moving whisper networks onto social networks, for pushing us all to stop accepting the unacceptable, The Silence Breakers are the 2017 Person of the Year.”

Who are the women featured on the magazine's cover?

This year's Person of the Year cover photo features actress Ashley Judd, singer Taylor Swift, Susan Fowler, Adama Iwu, Isabel Pascual, and an unidentified hospital worker from Texas, according to Time.

"The galvanizing actions of the women on our cover … along with those of hundreds of others, and of many men as well, have unleashed one of the highest-velocity shifts in our culture since the 1960s," Felsenthal said.

What are some of the events that sparked the movement?

In February, Susan Fowler, an engineer at Uber, spoke up about her "weird year" and the alleged harassment she faced in Silicon Valley, according to Time.

Then came the downfall of Fox News host Bill O'Reilly.

Accusations of sexual harassment against O'Reilly cost Fox more than $45 million in claims settlements. O'Reilly also denies any wrongdoing, but the news company severed its ties with the well-known commentator.

In June, actor Bill Cosby went to trial on charges he drugged and sexually assaulted Andrea Constand.

Constand is one of nearly 50 women who say Cosby sexually assaulted them. His alleged crimes date back for decades. The case ended in a mistrial. His retrial is set for April.

In October, Judd was the first celebrity to go on record with sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in an exposé in the New York Times.

After the Times' exposé, dozens of women came forward sharing similar stories, and often worse, about Weinstein's behavior. The shamed Hollywood movie mogul denies all accusations against him.

Activist Tarana Burke founded the "Me Too" movement in 2006, but it went viral when actress Alyssa Milano shared the hashtag in a tweet.

“I could never have envisioned something that would change the world," Burke told "Today." "I was trying to change my community.”

On the story's heels, the bricks have tumbled across all industries, those accused of sexual misconduct include media personalities, political figures, artists, and more.

"The women and men who have broken their silence span all races, all income classes, all occupations and virtually all corners of the globe," Time wrote. "The women and men who have broken their silence span all races, all income classes, all occupations and virtually all corners of the globe."

Who were the Person of the Year runners-up?

Among this year's finalists were: President Donald Trump (who was Person of the Year in 2016); Chinese President Xi Jinping; special counsel Robert Mueller; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un; former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick; and “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins, according to "Today."