A Comprehensive Review of the Netflix Documentary “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing” From a Family Strengthening, Child Safeguarding & Protection, and Power Parenting Perspective

Introduction

The Netflix documentary “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing” pulls back the curtain on the world of child content creation. The three-part series, which premiered on April 9, 2025, centres on social media star Piper Rockelle, her content creation “squad” and the disturbing abuse allegations against Tiffany Smith, Rockelle’s mom and manager.

Directed by Jenna Rosher and Kief Davidson and produced by Decoy Productions, the documentary delves into allegations of exploitation, manipulation, and abuse at the hands of Piper’s mother and manager, Tiffany Smith. By highlighting the experiences of former Squad members and their parents, it reveals a darker side to the growing kidfluencer industry, raising pressing questions about child exploitation, privacy, and the ethical ramifications of monetizing childhood.

Plot Overview

The world of Piper Rockelle and her “Squad” seemed like a picture-perfect digital playground. Known for their pranks and adventures, Piper and her friends amassed millions of followers and even larger sums in brand deals and endorsements. However, as the years passed, several Squad members and their families began to realize that behind the fun videos, something deeply troubling was happening.

The documentary sheds light on the role of Piper’s mother, Tiffany Smith, who managed her daughter’s career, while also overseeing the lives of the other children involved in the Squad. Several Squad members and their parents began to voice concerns about Tiffany’s methods and, eventually, a lawsuit was filed in 2022. Allegations included exploitation, verbal and physical abuse, and inappropriate behavior. The series explores the chilling details of these claims, including disturbing accounts of emotional, physical, and even alleged sexual abuse.

Who is Piper Rockelle?

Piper Rockelle’s rise to social media fame began at age 8, blossoming on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. As her following grew, so did the financial rewards, with reports indicating Piper earned upwards of half a million dollars per month from brand deals and other sources. Despite her success, the documentary paints a troubling picture of the blurred lines between career management and caregiving in the world of kidfluencing.

What is The Squad?

Starting around 2018, Piper began to appear in her videos alongside a rotating cast of tween “friends” that became known as The Squad. Together, they would create content and cross-promote one another’s personal media channels. While the lineup shifted over the years, Squad members have included Sophie Fergi, Gavin Magnus, Sawyer Sharbino, Hayden Haas, Corinne Joy, Jentzen Ramirez, Claire RockSmith, and Symonne Harrison, among others. Eventually, some members of The Squad moved in with Piper and her mother in order to increase their content output. While the videos they made emphasized silly, innocent fun, behind the scenes, many parents of The Squad members eventually distanced themselves from what they felt were Tiffany’s questionable behavior and manipulation tactics, which led Tiffany to oust some of their children from the group.

What happened between Tiffany Smith, Piper Rockelle, and The Squad members? 

In early 2022, tensions within The Squad escalated, leading 11 of its members to file a lawsuit against Tiffany Smith, alleging an emotionally, physically, and at times, sexually abusive environment. The accusations detailed in the lawsuit included Smith’s alleged verbal harassment and inappropriate physical behaviour toward the teens, with one particularly disturbing claim stating that Smith “stuck a finger in plaintiffs’ butts as they passed by her.” Additional allegations included Smith mailing “Piper’s soiled training bras and panties to an unknown individual” and making inappropriate comments to male Squad members about their body parts.

Smith denied all the allegations, calling them “lies” motivated by “financial jealousy.” In a December 2022 interview with the Los Angeles Times, she rejected the claims, attributing them to personal vendettas rather than any actual misconduct. Smith argued that prolonged litigation would only cause further harm to everyone involved, especially the children. The lawsuit also raised concerns about whether the Squad members were paid for their work on Rockelle’s channel, although it remains unclear if payment was promised. The plaintiffs sought around $2 million each, totalling over $22 million in damages. The matter was eventually settled in October 2024 for $1.85 million, with all parties disclaiming liability.

Tiffany’s and Piper’s response to the allegations

As a consequence of the allegations, Piper Rockelle’s YouTube channel was demonetized, removing her from the YouTube Partner Program. This decision resulted in a financial loss of between $300,000 and $500,000 per month, according to court records. Nevertheless, Piper has continued to post on social media and maintain a strong online presence. Now 17 years old, she remains involved in content creation despite the challenges stemming from the lawsuit.

Tiffany Smith filed a $30 million countersuit against the mothers of the plaintiffs, accusing them of extortion, but dropped the case in October 2022. Smith also declined to appear in the docuseries and has steadfastly denied the accusations. She reiterated in a statement that the claims were baseless and that the decision to settle was made to prevent further harm, particularly to the children involved.

The case serves as a troubling example of the lack of labour protections for young influencers in the online world. As noted by the author of Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet, “When it comes to new forms of work and new media, there are no labour protections.”

 Family Strengthening Perspective

The documentary reveals the uncomfortable truth that some families are unintentionally weakening their foundations in the pursuit of online fame. What begins as a fun, shared activity can slowly erode the emotional safety and autonomy of the child involved.

The documentary reminds us that children are not business assets, and no number of sponsorships or brand deals can substitute for love, security, and stability. While digital exposure may offer opportunities, without balance, boundaries, and emotional grounding, it can also become a source of deep psychological harm.

True family strengthening involves recognizing a child’s right to be a child, to grow, explore, and even fail. It demands that we place our children’s best interests above our ambitions, even when those ambitions appear to benefit the family as a whole.

Reflections on Family Strengthening

• Prioritize Connection Over Content: Children should feel loved and valued for who they are, not their performance or online presence.
• Create Offline Safe Zones: Children need spaces where they can just be children without the pressures of content creation.
• Prioritize Consent: Ask for permission before posting, and respect a child’s autonomy in choosing what they share.
• Model Healthy Digital Boundaries: Show your children the value of privacy and authenticity by setting your own boundaries.
• Encourage Purposeful Presence: Spend quality time offline to build meaningful memories that go beyond social media metrics.
• Remember, Childhood is Sacred: Fame and fortune can wait, a well-loved childhood is irreplaceable.

Child Safeguarding & Protection Perspective

This documentary starkly highlights a growing gap in our safeguarding frameworks: the online labour and emotional exploitation of children by their own families. The documentary reveals how the lines between caregiving and career management have blurred, leaving children vulnerable in ways that are often invisible and legal loopholes wide open.

Many of the featured children express loss of autonomy, burnout, and fear of disappointing their parents. The platforms continue to profit, while the legal systems lag far behind in defining and defending the rights of child influencers.

The documentary does more than expose individual stories, as it also exposes systemic neglect and calls for a complete reimagining of how we protect children in a digital age.

Reflections on Safeguarding and Protection

• Name Exploitation for What It Is: We must stand up against all forms of exploitation, whether it involves overwork, underpayment, or the exposure of children without protection.
• Close the Gaps in Policy: Advocate for laws that offer protections against the exploitation of child influencers.
• Shift the Narrative from Performance to Protection: Children are not products to be monetized; they are developing human beings who deserve to be safeguarded.
• Empower Children with Language and Voice: Equip children with the tools to set boundaries and express their consent, especially when it comes to sharing their personal lives online.

Power Parenting Perspective

At its core, the documentary is a powerful critique of performative parenting, and a clarion call for a more purposeful, principled approach. The documentary makes clear: our children need us to parent with vision, not validation.

The parents in the film are not villains, many were doing what they believe is best. But belief must be matched with wisdom, and love with structure. Must as parents protect and empower, while prioritizing the best interest of our precious children at all times.

In a world where children are placed in front of cameras before they can voice out the words yes or no, Power Parenting reminds us that real influence is not about viral videos, but about the lasting values we instill in our children. A child’s future is built on more than viral moments; it is built on a foundation of love, respect, and protection.

Conclusion

Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing is more than a documentary it is a stark reminder of the fine line between opportunity and exploitation in the world of social media. The documentary serves as both a warning and a call to action for parents, advocates, and society at large to rethink how we protect and empower our children in the digital age. Through careful reflection and purposeful parenting, we can create a safer, more supportive environment for our precious children both online and offline.

Do have an INSPIRED weekend with the family.