Netflix's 'Bad Influence' shows the dark side of kid influencers

It focuses on Piper Rockelle and her momager Tiffany Smith, and you can watch the trailer now.
 By 
Tim Marcin
 on 
thumbnail of kid influencer documentary on netflix
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There have always been horror stories about kids in the entertainment industry. It tracks, then, that kid influencers might run into the same sorts of perils.

A new Netflix docuseries Bad Influence examines allegations surrounding Tiffany Smith, the momager for kid influencer Piper Rockelle. They racked up millions of views and dollars, but people have come forward with disturbing allegations about Smith and the way she treated the "squad" of kid influencers surrounding her daughter. The trailer suggests Smith sexualized the minors in the videos to rack up views and that she created an environment where the kids were fearful.

Smith and Rockelle, for their part, have denied the allegations but did settle a lawsuit. The three-episode docuseries premieres on April 9.

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Tim Marcin
Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).


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