by Emma Link ‘27 and Molly Schecter ‘27

The documentary Bad Influencing: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, released on Netflix on April 9, uncovers the dark secrets behind popular influencer Piper Rockelle. Many teens grew up watching her on Music.ly and YouTube, and in recent years, her following has transferred to other platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch. Viewers growing up alongside Piper Rockelle watched her big friend group, “the squad,” evolve and drastically change. Without truly understanding why people were coming in and out of the squad, rumors surfaced online and filled Piper’s comment sections. The documentary reveals disturbing truths about these relationships influenced by her mother’s actions, the media team, and what it was truly like to film the content that so many teens loved to watch.

Piper Rockelle was exposed to the entertainment industry at the young age of 3. Her mother put her in beauty pageants, inspired by the reality show Toddlers & Tiaras. She won her first title at that young age, marking the beginning of her career and natural talent. These performances transitioned into a profile on Music.ly at the age of 7, which eventually transitioned into YouTube, where her following continued to grow exponentially. Piper’s mother, Tiffany Smith, noticed and took advantage of this following.
Bad Infuenceing features the perspective of 11 former members, including squad members, who claimed to suffer emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from Tiffany Smith. Sophie, a former squad member, and Claire RockSmith, another former squad member and cousin to Piper, describe what it was like behind the scenes. They explain how Tiffany Smith demanded long working hours at such a young age, and encouraged inappropriate and sexual content outside of their comfort zone. The former members and their moms explain how they would sometimes spend 12 straight hours filming, with short breaks until the next filming session. The moms recall not being able to watch the kids make the content under Smith’s supervision.

Under these extreme conditions, parents and members themselves found it was in their best interest to leave the squad. The documentary brings awareness to the issue of child influencers and exploitation. It raised concerns over so many children with mass followings who are parent-managed. Viewers never truly know what is happening behind the scenes for some of the most popular influencers.