Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing is a 2025 Netflix docuseries that exposes the unsettling reality behind child social media stardom. Centered on Piper Rockelle, her mother Tiffany Smith, and their content group “The Squad,” the series explores how platforms like YouTube and TikTok allow child influencers to rise with little protection or oversight.
The Docuseries features interviews with former Squad members, many of whom sued Tiffany in 2022 for alleged abuse, exploitation, and sabotage. While the case was settled in 2024 for $1.85 million without an admission of guilt, the fallout left a dent in Piper's brand, including demonetization and lost sponsorships, despite reportedly earning up to $7.5 million annually.
Now 17, Piper has been criticized for collaborating with adult-content-adjacent creators from TikTok’s Bop House, sparking speculation that she's being groomed for the adult industry once she turns 18. Plus, Piper's increasingly provocative online presence, especially on subscription platforms like Brand Army, has only fueled the fire.
While Piper and her mom continue to deny disturbing allegations, including claims about mailing her underwear to adult men, the internet remains divided. With her 18th birthday approaching, all eyes are on what Piper does next.
The Docuseries features interviews with former Squad members, many of whom sued Tiffany in 2022 for alleged abuse, exploitation, and sabotage. While the case was settled in 2024 for $1.85 million without an admission of guilt, the fallout left a dent in Piper's brand, including demonetization and lost sponsorships, despite reportedly earning up to $7.5 million annually.
Now 17, Piper has been criticized for collaborating with adult-content-adjacent creators from TikTok’s Bop House, sparking speculation that she's being groomed for the adult industry once she turns 18. Plus, Piper's increasingly provocative online presence, especially on subscription platforms like Brand Army, has only fueled the fire.
While Piper and her mom continue to deny disturbing allegations, including claims about mailing her underwear to adult men, the internet remains divided. With her 18th birthday approaching, all eyes are on what Piper does next.
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FunTranscript
00:00Netflix just dropped a doc exposing the dark side of kid influencers.
00:03Now one of the stars is clapping back, calling it all rumors,
00:07while the public fears there's something deeper going on.
00:10Bad influence, the dark side of kidfluencing, centers around now-teen influencer Piper Raquel,
00:16her mother Tiffany Smith, and the kid influencer group known as The Squad.
00:20The docuseries features real interviews with former child influencers and their families,
00:25along with sharp commentary on how platforms like YouTube and TikTok let this kind of content thrive
00:30with little to no safeguards in place.
00:33So why is Piper Raquel at the center of it all?
00:35Well in 2022, her mom Tiffany Smith was sued by 11 former members of The Squad,
00:41most of whom appear in bad influence, for emotional, verbal, and even alleged sexual abuse.
00:47Although reports state that Tiffany denied all allegations and the case was settled in October
00:52of 2024 for $1.85 million, with no admission of guilt and no jail time for Tiffany.
00:58Now Piper's responding in the most creator fashion ever, with vagueness and a brand partnership.
01:05Piper, who first blew up on Musical.ly and now has over 20 million followers across her socials,
01:10recently posted a video to Instagram where she's holding her phone asking what to do
01:15about all the rumors going around.
01:17The video is captioned with a poem that reads,
01:19Rumors Rumors Are Not Fun, Rumors Rumors Hurt Someone, Hashtag Tolan Partner.
01:25Which Tolan seems to be an alien AI app, the website states as quote,
01:30A cute alien companion who can make sense of your thoughts, help you with anything, and just have fun.
01:36Now although Tiffany did not go to jail for the alleged crime,
01:39the show suggests that the lawsuit caused financial issues for both her and Piper.
01:43Which according to the Times, court records show that Piper Raquel Inc.,
01:47the brand overseen by Tiffany Smith made anywhere from 4.2 million to 7.5 million dollars annually
01:54from social media advertising.
01:57And with Piper being online since she was 8,
01:59and was allegedly kept out of school to make content,
02:02and now looks like she and her mom are shifting gears into a more adult theme.
02:07In February, Piper sparked backlash after popping up in collabs with creators from TikTok's Bophouse,
02:14a collective known for their work on OnlyFans.
02:16And with Piper still being a minor,
02:18critics were quick to question her appearance in the adult content adjacent space,
02:23while Piper and the girls from the Bophouse clapped back with sarcasm in dance videos,
02:27brushing off the concerns and reminding everyone she's only 17.
02:31But depending on the platform you're on,
02:33you get a progressively spicier version of Piper's content.
02:37And let's not forget about her Brand Army account.
02:39A subscription service similarly ran like OnlyFans, but for teens,
02:44and is reportedly overly sexualized for a 17-year-old's content,
02:48and is mostly promoted with bikini photos on Piper's ex-account.
02:51Now, many online are predicting Piper is being prepped by her mom, Tiffany,
02:56to fully enter the adult industry the moment Piper turns 18.
03:00And these comments hit even harder,
03:02considering Tiffany has previously denied disturbing allegations,
03:05like claims she mailed Piper's underwear to men who like to smell them,
03:10according to People magazine.
03:11But what do you think?
03:12Drop your thoughts below, and follow us everywhere at What's Trending.