In Netflix’s new docuseries, the harms of internet fame are taking the spotlight. Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing is unlike anything audiences have seen before, and so were the circumstances that bred the doc. The shocking truth behind the recent release explores is a tale of manipulation, abuse and exploitation. While the career of being an influencer has been criticized in recent years, most of the dialogue surrounding it is relevant to adult content creators. Due to the power of popularity and instant gratification that internet fame comes with, kids naturally gravitate towards this career path.

As kids and teens are being raised online with very little boundaries between themselves and viewers, who is supposed to protect them? The assumption would be that parents have the responsibility to be the voice of reason, but that’s not always the case. For viral sensation Piper Rockelle, her mother Tiffany Rockelle (who goes by Tiffany Smith) has been accused of playing a large role in creating an abusive environment for several kidfluencers. After tapping into the Netflix original telling their story, viewers are curious whether the momager faced repercussions for the allegations against her. Here’s everything we know.

What Are the Allegations Against Tiffany Smith?

Tiffany Smith will likely go down in history as one of the most toxic moms and managers in the world of kidfluencing. As a momager, she certainly made a profit but also made an impact on many children’s lives in exceedingly negative ways. In order to promote her daughter’s YouTube (which was created in 2016), Smith allegedly took things too far to go viral, even bringing Piper’s friends in on their content creation process. Things started out innocently enough, but eventually took a turn for the worse, as shown in the documentary.

The Los Angeles based mother-daughter duo (along with the help of Smith’s boyfriend Hunter Hill) enlisted the help of Piper’s friends to build a following online. Her social media pages became known for the content surrounding Piper Rockelle and her Squad. Piper’s Squad became a collective of kids who had similar show biz dreams and they were under the direction of Smith. From around 2017 to 2021, the Squad went viral for their content and the page made millions of dollars. But according to the kid’s accounts, eventually the content began to push boundaries.

What ‘Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing’ Reveals

The Netflix doc (which premiered on Apr. 9) provides a look into the victim’s experiences. In one disturbing clip one of the kids even states that they felt, “If you leave the Squad, you’re going to get blacklisted…She would start a hate campaign.” This fear mongering was nothing out of the ordinary. As they tell it, they would film 10-15 videos a day and be pushed to do things they didn’t want to do. For example, allegedly Smith offered to show an 11-year-old little girl how to perform oral sex. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

According to the Los Angeles Times, their environment was described as abusive in many different ways. That includes physical, mental and even sexual abuse claims. Obviously, throughout the many years managing her daughter’s social media account she interacted with many kids. So these claims and suggestive clips of Smith in the doc have been seen as incriminating.

What Has Happened Since Allegations About Tiffany Smith Became Public?

Many allegations have been brought against Tiffany since the YouTube page was in its prime. In January 2022, 11 former members of the Squad filed a lawsuit against Smith and Hill. Smith has denied the claims that she did not provide the kids with meals, breaks or even schooling while filming. Despite her denial, Piper’s mom paid a hefty prince in the form of an $1.85 million settlement, as announced in October 2024. It’s worth noting that plaintiffs were initially seeking at least $22 million.

Is Tiffany Smith In Jail in 2025?

No, Smith has not done jail time and with the settlement will likely never. This is due to the fact that she cannot be tried for the same offense twice based on the principle of double jeopardy. Smith reportedly still lives in Los Angeles with her daughter Piper who is still producing content for social media. Although she has been accused of isolating and controlling Piper, life seemingly has gone on pretty normally.

Smith typically stays out of the spotlight so she denied comment during the lawsuit or participation in the doc. It is believed that she is still working behind the scenes with Piper and even possibly other children. But followers of Piper have been speculating about recent posts which allude to the social media star exposing the truth of the situation once she is legally an adult. With the recently released documentary and her impending 18th birthday, it is definitely going to get interesting. Will the starlet defend her mother Tiffany Smith or side with her former friends?

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has Piper Rockelle been doing YouTube?

Piper has been doing YouTube since she was nine years old and is now nearly 18 years old. So, half of her life has been broadcast for the world to see.

Is Piper Rockelle still making videos?

Yes, Piper is still making videos and still seems invested in the ongoing controversy about her mother and her former Squad.

Tiffany Smith

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