Netflix has its next big documentary release lined up with Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, set to focus on the concerning dynamic between YouTuber Piper Rockelle, her momager Tiffany Smith, and their cast of child influencers.
With millions of followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, Piper Rockelle – now 17 years old – built an empire as the face of The Squad, earning up to $500,000 a month at the height of her success.
But as is set to be explored in the new docu-series, behind the viral videos, Tiffany Smith was pulling the strings, and is now facing allegations of manipulation, coercion, and exploitation.
One talking head describes it as a “cult” like environment, while another highlights the disturbing number of adult male followers. Much like the Ruby Franke case, the Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing has reignited debates about the safety of children online.
Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing sparks call to action
The docu-series, set to drop on Netflix on April 9, has received a strong reaction since the trailer was released, with one writing, “This is why child labor laws need to extend to social media. Kids need protection.”
Similar comments were made amid the release of Hulu’s Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke. Numerous countries worldwide have been cracking down on the issue of young people on social media.
In France, a law passed in 2020 to protect child influencers, regulating their online activities and earnings by essentially treating their work as child labor, thereby requiring parental authorization.
Over in Australia, though it has yet to take effect, a social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament in 2024.
The US has taken some steps forward in this area, with California recently becoming the third state to legislate protections for kidfluencers, coming after Illinois and Minnesota.
As said by one commenter, “California passed child influencer laws… to give them some sort of protection, so family channels that feature their kids to great extent are trying to move to other states in order to avoid having to comply with the new laws.”
But for much of the US, social media protections for underage users remain limited, despite family vloggers coming under increasing scrutiny.
Alongside calls for stricter laws in place, viewers are just glad Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing is set to get the truth out there.
“Finally someone is talking about this,” wrote one. “I have stumbled upon this channel from time to time and I always thought it was soooo inappropriate! I have no idea how it went on for so long and how no one did anything about it, parents, YouTube, anyone!”
Another commented, “People that start a family YouTube channel and later make millions, most of the time the kids lose interest and the parents want the money, and the parents keep black mailing and pressuring the kid.”
“Been waiting for this documentary,” added a third. “So proud of all these victims.”
Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing lands on Netflix on April 9, 2025. Until then, read about if Alec Baldwin went to prison, the American Manhunt: Osama Bin Laden delay, and the biggest mistake in the Karen Read trial.
Source link
