Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing

Bad Influence – Netflix Docuseries By Melissa Antoinette Garza Before catching a brief segment on Inside Edition about the Netflix docuseries _Bad Influence (2025)_, I had never heard of Piper Rockelle, Tiffany Smith, or the group known as “the squad.” Though I watch a lot of YouTube, influencer culture has never appealed to me—especially when it involves kids. I find it to be repetitive, inauthentic, vacuous crap aimed at the lowest common denominator. Sadly, Bad Influence exposes some of the darkest sides of this world. The series focuses on the troubling story of Piper Rockelle and the serious allegations against her mother, Tiffany Smith. As a single parent, Tiffany began by entering Piper into disgusting, kiddie, beauty pageants at a very young age. Eventually, she started filming YouTube videos featuring Piper and her friends and cousins. Rather than shielding her daughter from harm, the documentary alleges that Tiffany leaned into exploitation—reportedly encouraging her daughter to behave and dress in ways that catered to adult attention, even engaging with individuals whose interests were clearly inappropriate. Early on, Piper caught the attention of a middle-aged, perverted stalker. Rather than block him, Tiffany had Piper talk to him on the phone so that she could get gifts from him. She even went as far as to send Piper’s undergarments to these twisted freaks. The abuse didn’t stop there. According to the series, Tiffany’s mistreatment extended to other children involved in the YouTube channel. She is accused of emotional, financial, and—in the most serious cases—sexual misconduct toward multiple young people in her orbit. The documentary includes firsthand accounts from former members of the squad, many of whom share painful stories. What’s especially disturbing is how many of the parents allowed their children to remain in this environment. While they didn’t know the full extent of what was happening, Tiffany’s aggressive behavior and volatility were visible from jump. It’s hard to understand how they allowed their kids to stay, even when red flags were clear. To be fair, eventually the parents reached a breaking point and removed their children, one-by-one. Their heartbreak is real and valid, and I do sympathize with the shock and pain they’ve experienced. But in situations like this, accountability matters—for all adults involved. Of course, the lion’s share of blame belongs to Tiffany. Stories like this make you wonder how people like her can operate unchecked for so long. Even now, Piper remains involved in a controversial sexual online platform that permits inappropriate pictures of minors. She still vocally and financially supports her mother. Despite some criticism from Piper toward those who left the squad, no one featured in the series holds it against her. They express compassion and a desire to see her free from manipulation and control. The FBI is reportedly investigating the case, and I sincerely hope justice is served. It’s far too common for female abusers to receive lighter sentences, particularly when male victims of sexual abuse are involved. This needs to change. We must continue to dismantle the stigma surrounding male survivors, and we must ensure that anyone—regardless of gender—who harms children is held fully accountable. For Tiffany Smith, if guilty of these crimes (and I wholeheartedly believe she is), life in prison or capital punishment should be the only acceptable outcomes. As for the docuseries, I couldn't recommend it more. I binged watched the entire series and was hooked from start to finish.