“Kidfluencing” — a term used to describe the children raking in millions of viewers (and dollars) on social media — is the subject of a recent Netflix documentary, “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing.” The three-part series examines this shadowy and unregulated industry through the story of Piper Rockelle, a viral YouTuber managed by her mother, Tiffany Smith.

In January 2022, Smith was sued for $22 million by 11 of Rockelle’s former collaborators — collectively known as the Squad. They accused Smith of violating California’s child labor laws, failing to compensate them and, most notably, of sexual misconduct.

A Los Angeles Times investigation published that year compiled dozens of court filings, emails, casting calls, talent releases and filming schedules, as well as interviews with plaintiffs and parents, revealing a pattern of controlling and abusive behavior by Smith. In the aftermath of the lawsuit filing, Rockelle defended her mother.

“This whole case is based on lies that are driven by financial jealousy,” Smith told the Los Angeles Times. The suit was eventually settled for $1.85 million in October 2024. However, the plaintiffs — and their parents — say they still bear the scars from their time in the Squad.

The documentary was directed by Jenna Rosher and Kief Davidson and features interviews with former Squad members, their parents, other collaborators, journalists and experts on internet culture. Here are some takeaways from the docuseries.

Rockelle went from pageants to being on camera

Rockelle, who was born in Georgia to Smith, a single mother, began competing in pageants as a 3-year-old. Her childhood coincided with the rise of social media platforms like Twitter and reality TV. Her first big break was on the Lifetime reality series “Dance Twins” and soon Rockelle gained a following on the app Musical.ly, where users posted lip sync and dance videos — the app was later acquired by ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.

Spurred by Rockelle’s early success, the family moved to Los Angeles in 2017.

Initially, Rockelle found work on such shows as Brat TV’s “Mani,” a show about a male nanny. It was there that she met Sophie Fergi, her eventual best friend and Squad member. However, Rockelle left the show after Smith complained about another child getting more lines than her daughter.

Rockelle shifted to YouTube, where Smith built a brand off her normalcy.

Assembling the Squad

YouTube features a robust monetization scheme based on sustained user engagement. To supercharge it, YouTubers will form groups whose individual members feed into the overall success of the whole. Smith borrowed from this model, fostering a group of kids around Rockelle beginning in 2018 that became the Squad.

Smith would offer exposure as compensation to collaborators, and after parents saw YouTube accounts increase by thousands of followers, and in turn revenues, seemingly overnight, they were sold.

“We’re talking life-changing money. You don’t know what to do at first. You’re like, is this real?” said Ashley Rock Smith, Tiffany’s sister-in-law, whose daughter Claire eventually became a Squad member.

Smith started pushing ‘crush content’

Smith began to push the Squad toward “crush content,” a popular trend where influencers would be “shipped,” or paired together for an on-camera relationship. For example, Rockelle was paired with Gavin Magnus and their ship name was Pavin, and Fergi was paired with Jentzen Ramirez and their ship name was Jophie — the names became trending hashtags. But as “crush content” soared, Squad members say Smith put them in uncomfortable situations and acted inappropriately toward them.

Heather Trimmer, Fergi’s mother, acted as the stylist for the Squad and said Smith pushed her to buy “sluttier” clothes for Rockelle; the kids were encouraged to stick their butts out and suck their stomachs in for thumbnail clips.

Former Squad member Corinne Joy said Smith once asked her if she knew what a blow job is and laughed as she asked if she wanted to perform one.

The lawsuit also revealed an egregious 2017 incident that is discussed at length in the documentary, where Smith, then 36, forcibly kissed Raegan Fingles, known as Raegan Beast on social media, twice during a livestreamed hang-out with Rockelle and others. Fingles, who was 17 at the time, said Smith had provided alcohol to minors in attendance. However, the next morning, the video was wiped from the internet; in the documentary, Fingles questioned the power of someone who could make a video completely disappear.

Parents accused Smith of manipulation

As Squad members became more aware of wrongdoings, they said Smith made them feel trapped. For example, after Joy told her mother, Steevy Areeco, that Smith was mailing Rockelle’s underwear to older men, Areeco pulled her from the Squad.

As a result, Joy said, Smith blacklisted her and directed other members to cease communications.

“Once you’re in, you know the consequences of even just crossing her,” Angela Sharbino, Sawyer Sharbino’s mother, said in the documentary.

In another instance, Ramirez’s mother, Johna Kay Ramirez, tried to extricate her son from the Squad. But Smith convinced his father to let him stay, and Johna Ramirez alleged that Smith turned her son against her. She filed for divorce in an attempt to gain joint custody of him, but over time, Jentzen ceased communication with his mother. Later, the Squad filmed a video in Johna’s house in Austin, Texas, without her knowledge, which she viewed as a personal threat from Smith.

Accusations of sexual, verbal, emotional abuse

Collaborators said Smith would take on the voice of Lenny, one of her deceased cats, when engaging in abusive behavior targeting Rockelle and her cousins Claire and Reese Rock Smith.

Once, Reese said, her aunt pinned her to the bed and rubbed her arm all over Reese’s body, pretending it was Lenny’s penis. Reese said she managed to lock herself in the bathroom, with Smith telling her she was outside the door with her pants down. After some time, Reese attempted to exit the bathroom, but Smith pinned her on the bed again; Reese was finally able to escape.

Fergi also recalls in the documentary disturbing scenarios like waking up to Smith on top of her. Because it had been normalized, Fergi said she didn’t know what to do.

Still creating content

Despite the lawsuit being ultimately settled for $1.85 million in 2024 and Rockelle’s YouTube account being demonetized as a result of the allegations, Smith and Rockelle are still producing content. Rockelle is now a creator on BrandArmy, which is marketed as OnlyFans but with no nudity.

The documentary ends by suggesting that the ultimate victim is Rockelle herself.