If you are a newbie to the world of influencing or an aspirant, then this book is sure to achieve its purpose of being your guide on ‘How to Survive and Thrive Online’

Malini Agarwal, a.k.a. MissMalini, formerly a DJ on Mumbai’s Radio One (India) and Head of Digital Content for Channel V India, founded her blog MissMalini.com in 2008 covering gossip and current events in Bollywood, fashion and lifestyle. Since then, her influence has grown manifold as she navigated the pitfalls of the vast digital landscape.

Coming from a seasoned expert, this book dives into the world wide web by offering three core principles to navigate your online journey: Never post anything you wouldn’t say to someone’s face; Remember that followers are people too and Spark joy (with your next post).

For most of us, internet is a first-generation phenomenon, so it’s been experimental with hits and misses and Agarwal has travelled that road for over two decades now. She is rightly the first internet sensation in the entertainment and fashion space. Penning all those trials along with proven facts and researches, the book becomes a handbook of surviving in the chaotic and unpredictable world of the great world wide web.

The book begins with a background on the classification of generations and their behaviour patterns. With age and social changes, the patterns and views keep evolving. So, if you are stepping into the digital world where the planet’s entire population converges, then knowing these things helps in understanding your target audience.

Over the years, Agarwal has tried every social media platform. Each platform works differently and has a different audience. She quotes many well-known figures across platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, even podcasters and YouTubers. Each platform has a USP, and Miss Malini has found herself at sea many times, but learnt to stand steadily on her own two feet. She talks about the old status lines of Facebook, the trolls of Twitter, the FOMO of not being on Instagram during its inception on iPhone and the reasons for the rise of social media platforms.

She talks about the mistakes she made, the loss of culture and mannerisms on the internet and the way issues become complicated if you don’t measure your responses. She has compiled many simple exercises and fun activities to measure your growth, habits and patterns. All these help in understanding your behaviour, responses and the road forward.

There are mental health issues related to trolling. Understanding the psychology of trolls helps in handling them. She has cited experts and sociologists across the book. She also talks about popular documentaries such as The Social Dilemma and Catfishing.

Amid the dark world of social media, she has given positive, doable steps to succeed. She touches upon cancel culture, cyberbullying and has given resources to combat all this. She also takes forward the #Ignorenomoreonline campaign when trolls refuse to back down, reporting harassment to cybercrime cells. She ends the book by highlighting the importance of being kind, doing things that spark joy and treating the world the way you would treat yourself.

Under the Influence can be aptly described as a “dummies guide to the internet” for aspiring influencers, offering a wealth of practical knowledge from the lady who’s ‘been there and done that’.  

Book details
Publisher: HarperCollins India  
Language: English
Paperback: 240 pages
Price: INR 499 (Kindle Edition available)

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