Bad Influence: the cost of kidfluencing
By Anagha Singh
Netflix’s latest documentary “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing” premiering on April 9th, 2025 delves into the dark aspects of widely recognized children participating in the influencer industry, spotlighting allegations of abuse and exploitation involving popular celebrities such as Piper Rockelle through delving into her journey of gaining fame with regards to her mother Tiffany Smith’s role as her manager.
The three-part docuseries features interviews with experts and affected individuals, as a former member of Rockelle’s ‘Squad’ reveals the hidden realities behind the glamorous face of child influencer culture.
Piper Rockelle, a 17-year-old influencer who rose to fame at age 8 through her YouTube and social media, is often widely recognized even within our school premises, and is said to have reportedly earned over half a million US dollars monthly at her peak.
Piper’s mother and manager have been accused several times over the past years of creating an abusive environment for child influencers. In 2022, 11 teen content creators were said to have filed a complaint against her for emotional, physical, and sexual exploitation and abuse. This lawsuit was settled in October 2024 for 1.85 million US dollars without admission of liability.
The Squad is a group of young influencers collaborating with Piper. Their videos seem innocent on a superficial level, resonating with kids in their age group and striking feelings of envy and a surreal feeling of wanting to be in this popular friend group, and have multiple followers chasing after them wherever they go. However, after analysis by parents of children in the Squad, concerns arose over manipulative tactics by Tiffany Smith, leading many parents to withdraw their children from the group.
From a broader perspective, this Netflix documentary does not aim to focus on Piper Rockelle and her mother’s doings, but rather on how child influencers face intense pressure to produce content, sacrifice education, socialization, and independence in favor of monetization.
Due to high stress levels and stretched working hours, anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, and most importantly, a violation of a child’s innocence can be seen. Emotional regulation challenges result in chronic meltdowns and internalized distress as they progress into adulthood.
To think that a grown adult, specifically a single mother’s hand is behind the exploitation of several children’s childhoods is an aspect that the newly launched Netflix Documentary strategically delves into. The lack of meaningful regulation leaves children vulnerable to exploitation by parents or managers seeking financial gain.
Children view influencers as relatable peers, we’ve all been there. This amplifies their persuasive power over young audiences. It may not seem like it, but a “like” from a student on a totally different continent provide unimaginable financial gain, further promoting adults to exploit helpless children as a way of making a living for themselves.
The documentary raises critical questions about the ethics of kidfluencing. Should stricter regulations be implemented to protect child influencers? How would a society incorporate laws that surpass the power a parent has over a child’s life? How can society balance the opportunities offered by social media with safeguarding children’s mental health and well-being?
With its compelling interviews, guest speakers, and hard-hitting revelations, Bad Influence is more than just a documentary; it’s a rallying cry for accountability in an industry where innocence is overshadowed by profit.