A group of young performers joined a YouTube channel in 2022 to market themselves as rising stars. The group, formerly known as “The Squad,” later filed a lawsuit against Tiffany Smith, the mother and manager of YouTube influencer Piper Rockelle, the group’s de facto leader. The suit included disturbing allegations. Smith was accused of sending her preteen daughter’s underwear to adult men and forcing the children to work grueling hours without breaks to create viral content.
Although the lawsuit was settled in 2023, the story didn’t end there. Netflix’s new documentary series Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing dives deeper into the alleged “cult-like manipulation” behind the scenes. Released earlier this month and currently trending, the series explores the broader context of the accusations made by the 11 former members of the social media group.
Smith and her former partner and producer, Hunter Hill, denied the claims. The case ultimately settled for $1.85 million, far less than the $22 million initially sought.
The three-hour series is deeply unsettling. Viewers witness children as young as seven growing up entirely online, with virtually no protection under existing child labor laws. Interviews with both the former child influencers and their “momagers” reveal a toxic environment of fear, bullying, and exploitation, all while producing hundreds, if not thousands, of monetized videos for their channels.
Initially, the content was lighthearted: pranks, friendships, and teenage crushes. But over time, it became increasingly sexualized.
