Netflix’s Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing exposes the toxic reality behind child influencer fame — and where the stars are now.
Ring lights, camera, action — and a whole lot of controversy. Netflix‘s new docuseries Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing shines a harsh spotlight on the glittery but grim world of social media stardom for kids. At the center of it all? Piper Rockelle, the 17-year-old YouTuber with over 12 million subscribers, and her mother-turned-momager, Tiffany Smith.
The three-part docuseries, now streaming, chronicles Rockelle’s rise from child pageant contestant to influencer empire builder. As seen in footage from the Lifetime series Dance Twins, Tiffany Smith was the driving force behind her daughter’s early pursuits, often pushing her to win. “This is a really good time for you to get first place,” she says on camera. “I would like that.”
But Bad Influence goes far beyond family ambition. The doc features interviews with former members of Rockelle’s so-called “Squad” — a rotating group of young content creators who collaborated on skits, videos, and even staged relationships.
Sophie Fergi, 17, recalls the intense filming schedule. “We were filming 10, 15 videos a day,” she claims. “We did not get a break at all.” Filming would stretch past midnight, with school squeezed into the early morning hours.
After leaving the Squad, many allege they were blackballed and watched their online stats plummet. In 2022, 11 plaintiffs aged 10 to 16 filed a civil lawsuit against Smith, Hill, and Piper Rockelle Inc., citing abuse and exploitation.
They accused Smith of overseeing an environment of “emotional, verbal, physical, and at times, sexual abuse” and claimed they weren’t compensated — despite Rockelle’s channel reportedly pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars per month. Smith responded with a $30 million countersuit. The legal battle ended in October 2024 with a $1.85 million settlement.
Smith, Rockelle, and her partner Hunter Hill all declined to be interviewed for the series and denied the allegations.
Despite the backlash, Rockelle remains active online with 6.1 million Instagram followers and 14.7 million on TikTok, where she posts content with her boyfriend, fellow influencer Capri.
Though her YouTube channel was demonetized in 2022, Rockelle continues to upload. In a recent behind-the-scenes vlog, she shared insight into her life as an influencer. “I don’t really get a lot out of it besides the satisfaction from knowing you guys enjoy watching them…” she said. These days, she earns primarily through brand deals and TikToks.
“I have no room to complain about my life,” Rockelle adds. “But what I do have to say is it is hard work on my end… Whatever I’m doing right now, it feels like a job. It takes a lot out of me.”
In a statement to USA TODAY, Rockelle defended her mom: “The accusations are mean, untrue, and honestly all about money. My mom did not do any of those things that they said. And I’ll stand by my mom to the end.”
Unlike her daughter, Tiffany Smith has largely stepped out of the spotlight — but still makes occasional appearances. In a prank video posted to Hill’s YouTube channel in December 2022, she made it clear she wasn’t comfortable with social media fame: “I do not want to be in a TikTok. I do not want people making little edits of me and making fun of me.”
Hunter Hill, who once portrayed Rockelle’s “brother” online but is actually Smith’s partner, has taken a step back too. His last upload to his 656,000 YouTube subscribers was in May 2024, and he currently has 339,000 Instagram followers.
As Bad Influence draws attention to the dark side of internet fame, fans — and critics — are watching closely to see what’s next for this once-unbreakable influencer empire.
