Netflix’s latest docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, has become a topic of debate among child influencers globally. Released on Wednesday, the three-part series goes deep into the life of 17-year-old star of YouTube, Piper Rockelle, and the serious allegations made against her mother and manager, Tiffany Smith.
The series not only talks of all hidden issues behind the cute pranks and dance videos but also other topics such as the dark side of the entertainment industry and the lack of parental involvement in the kids’ lives.
The YouTuber Who Gained Massive Popularity
Piper Rockelle became a well-known personality by uploading funny videos, challenges, and pranks on YouTube. Her channel has over 12 million subscribers, most of them being young fans.
She took over the digital space with the help of her mom, who managed the team of young creators also known as “The Squad.”
However, ex-squad members say that in reality, things were not as perfect as they seemed.
Shocking Accusations Against Tiffany Smith
The Netflix show presented several former Squad members and their families who came forward to talk about the issue. The former members claimed that Tiffany Smith did not only verbally abuse them, but also made them participate in uncomfortable contexts, and was more into gaining herself than the children getting hurt.
Some of the kids also came out with stories of coercion and how the videos they made were not suitable for their age group. Some expressed that they were forced to work for long hours without sleep, just for the sake of being famous online.
In the year 2022, these allegations resulted in a civil lawsuit against Smith. As per the documentary, in 2024, the suit was settled for $1.85 million without any acknowledgment of guilt from Smith.
Netflix Sheds Light on a Growing Problem
Bad Influence has the complete story of Piper and the same concerning the security of young creators in the digital space. The show also asks the question if it is safe when it comes to kids going viral on Youtube videos. According to some child safety advocates in the docuseries, the YouTuber world of young influencers is currently like a “Wild West” with little or no regulation, especially when it comes to children.
The danger of Child Safety advocates in the film and in collusion with predators is the main topic of a “candy store for predators” analogy, which deals with the public and unmonitored content of kids.
The program has instantly rung the alarm for the government to enforce new laws for minors’ protection on the web.
Piper Rockelle Reacts to the Blame
Despite the uproar, Rockelle keeps being active in social media. She was criticized again in the past few weeks for collaborating with influencers who have accounts on adult subscription platforms.
That reply from Rockelle was given to a question whether she felt the criticism was unfair, she answered in the negative, saying that it was only fitting to be courteous to the people she worked with, and in the end, called them “warm-hearted” and “kind”. SheAdditionally, she also requested her fans to keep in mind that social media is designed to entertain one another.
She implied that she will come out with it when she is 18.
What is Going to Happen Next?
The docuseries has spawned a series of discussions on the internet. Some of the audiences are of the opinion that it has gone to prove what they have always thought – that the world of kidfluencers is really not as joyous as it appears. On the other hand, the supporters have pro-“used@social media to back Rockelle by saying she was just a kid who wished for her dreams to be a blessing.
The main issue is still there—will this documentary eventually lead legislators to establish actual safeguards for child content creators?
According to professionals, the U.S. should move fast to safeguard kids out of the public eye, especially given the increasing number of children who now take up leading roles.
