Netflix’s upcoming documentary to investigate the dark side of Piper Rockelle’s Kidfluencer squad

Piper Rockelle, the 17-year-old YouTube personality who built a massive following with her content collective known as “The Squad,” is now at the center of a Netflix investigative documentary. The series, titled Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, will explore the unsettling allegations surrounding Rockelle’s circle of young influencers and her mother, Tiffany Smith.

According to People on March 13, 2025, Rockelle and her friends gained millions of views and significant income by creating prank videos and staged crushes, carefully managed by Smith. However, as per NBC News on April 16, 2023, 11 former Squad members filed a lawsuit in January 2022, alleging emotional, physical, and s*xual abuse under Smith’s supervision.

The $1.85 million settlement, finalized without an admission of liability, was reached in October 2024, as reported by People on October 11, 2024. The Netflix docuseries will present testimony from affected Squad members and their parents. Piper Rockelle, who once projected a carefree online persona, now faces scrutiny as Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing prepares to premiere on April 9, 2025.

In January 2022, Piper Rockelle’s mother, Tiffany Smith, was sued by 11 Squad members and their parents for allegedly failing to pay them for their work

In January 2022, Piper Rockelle’s mother, Tiffany Smith, was sued by 11 Squad members and their parents for allegedly failing to pay them for their work. The lawsuit, however, involved much deeper allegations beyond financial grievances.

The plaintiffs, all minors who were once part of Piper Rockelle’s “Piper Squad,” accused Smith of fostering an abusive environment, alleging they were subjected to emotional, physical, and sometimes s*xual misconduct. According to a Los Angeles Times report of October 10, 2024, the group sought $22 million in damages, eventually settling for $1.85 million in October 2024.

While the exact details of the agreement were not disclosed, one of the alleged victims stressed that it was never about money. The teen girl was quoted by the New York Post on October 9, 2024.

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“It was to make sure she couldn’t do what she did to me to another kid,” she said.

The accusations outlined in the lawsuit included Smith making s*xually inappropriate comments about the children's bodies. She was also accused of calling a girl flat-chested, and inappropriately touching the minors’ legs, thighs, and buttocks, as per the New York Post.

Additionally, the complaint alleged that Smith once referred to herself as the “madam” or “pimp” of YouTube and boasted about making “kiddie p*rn,” as noted in New York Post. The lawsuit also detailed incidents where Smith allegedly spanked the teens, attempted to spit in a girl’s mouth, and encouraged them to act s*xually aggressive during content creation.

Another claim involved Smith reportedly kissing her own daughter, Piper Rockelle, to “teach her how to ‘kiss,’” and mailing Rockelle’s “soiled training bras and panties” to an unknown recipient, explaining “old men like to smell this stuff,” as stated in court filings reported by the New York Post.

Despite generating millions of dollars from their YouTube appearances, the young content creators asserted they were never compensated, although they acknowledged they had not been formally promised payment. The legal complaint emphasized the lack of financial transparency and appropriate workplace safeguards on Rockelle’s sets, as per the Los Angeles Times.

Attorney Matt Sarelson, representing the 11 plaintiffs, commended the group following the settlement to the New York Post:

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“They’re smart and brave. What they went through was grotesque. I look forward to watching them thrive as young adults,” Sarelson said.

The lawsuit and settlement are further explored in the upcoming Netflix docuseries Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing. The series will spotlight the unregulated conditions many child influencers, including Piper Rockelle, reportedly faced while working under Smith’s direction.

The case has amplified conversations about the broader issue of minors in digital media and their lack of labor protections, drawing further attention to calls for reform.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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