The Age of Influence

Once known as the New York “Swiffer girl,” Danielle Miller became the unwilling subject of one of the internet’s first viral videos. As she attempts to rewrite her narrative and transform herself into a glamorous influencer, the girl whose identity was stolen from her as a young teen grows up to be a serial identity thief herself. Social media proves her undoing, as images from her lavish lifestyle implicate her in multiple cases of fraud. But like her Rikers roomie, the famed SoHo grifter Anna Delvey, Danielle is doubling down on her infamy and insisting you should never count her out.

New Jersey entrepreneur Jay Mazini cons his way into wealth and internet fame through a series of schemes hinged upon the trust of his devoted social media disciples. His rapid ascent brands him a crypto-prophet, fashion designer and viral philanthropist, but when a former friend, along with others, sounds the alarm on his deceit, he resorts to violence to keep his house of cards from crumbling.

When Emily Gellis hears rumors that the trendy F-factor diet is allegedly causing health issues for her followers, she takes up the cause on Instagram. But the diet’s founder Tanya Zuckerbrot denies the claims and is ready to fight back with two defamation lawsuits. Meanwhile, the dramatic fiber-feud continues to rage on social media, potentially forever setting the stage for what can and can’t be said on the internet.

After an embattled childhood colored by drugs and poverty, Tyler Bauman attempts to reinvent himself as an over-the-top Instagram personality. Using the handle musclehead320, he chronicles his goal to reach 320 pounds, sharing his expertise on steroids and supplements before eventually getting into the manufacturing and distribution game himself. It’s the classic story of a regular guy breaking bad ― with an Instagram account, a Boston accent and a whole lot of juice.

Successful child influencers are adept at putting on a show, but what happens when the camera turns off? The terrifying tale of Machelle Hobson explores the tragedy that befell her adopted children, whose lives seemed picture perfect on their popular Youtube series, “Fantastic Adventures.” But behind the scenes, abuse ran rampant, and the systems in place failed the children at every turn —begging the question: How can our children best be protected in the age of influence?

Career con artist Tracii Hutsona dreams of fame as an actress, influencer and YouTube reality star. As she fails to reach her goals, she wreaks havoc on the lives of many, including a Los Angeles scenester, a fast-casual restaurateur, and Joumana Kidd, the ex-wife of basketball legend, Jason Kidd.