Social media has become a major part of everyday life—including for a new generation of kids whose childhoods revolve around technology. Netflix’s latest docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, dives into this digital world, focusing particularly on child influencer Piper Rockelle and her group known as “The Squad.” If you’ve never heard of them, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.
Keep reading to learn more about the Netflix doc and the story behind it.
Piper Rockelle is a 17-year-old who rose to fame as a child star through acting, writing, and influencing, according to IMDb. She has over 6 million followers on Instagram and more than 14 million on TikTok.
According to IMDb, the doc offers “A revealing look into YouTube star Piper Rockelle’s world, her relationship with her manager-mother Tiffany Smith, and the untold stories of past collaborators who were part of her content-creating team.”
Former members of “The Squad” have come forward with allegations, claiming it was “an emotionally, physically, and sometimes sexually abusive environment,” reportedly perpetrated by Piper’s mother, Tiffany Smith. These claims eventually led to a lawsuit filed against her.
In response to the lawsuit, Tiffany told People, “Obviously we didn’t do anything that was alleged, but sadly, money is a big motivator for certain personalities in this world. We made the decision to put this behind us because honestly, prolonged litigation would be even more harmful and painful to everyone involved – which includes kids.”
