Movies

Exposed: Dark Secrets of Piper Rockelle’s Squad in Netflix Docu-Series

BBG News

In a new Netflix documentary series titled “Bad Influence: The Hidden Dangers of Children’s Internet Fame“, airing on April 9, former child stars who appeared in viral videos are speaking up about the alleged abuse they suffered.

As a movie enthusiast who’s always got an eye on the latest online sensations, I’ve been following the drama surrounding 17-year-old Los Angeles vlogger, Piper Rockelle Smith. It seems that several teens involved in her playful social media escapades have come forward accusing Piper’s mom, Tiffany Smith, of mistreatment.

In January 2022, a group of 11 youngsters filed a lawsuit against Ms. Smith, claiming they were repeatedly subjected to an abusive environment on and off set during filming sessions for Piper’s YouTube channel. The alleged abuse ranged from emotional and physical mistreatment to sexual misconduct.

In October 2024, a settlement for $1.85 million was agreed upon; however, the teenage innovators are ensuring they retain control over their narrative within the Netflix documentary series.

Across three installments, this series chronicles Piper’s meteoric rise to stardom, incorporating discussions with internet historians and the young celebrities who were integral to her online persona, as well as their relatives. They contend that despite the joyful appearances in social media updates, there was a significant amount of pressure lurking behind the curtain.

The making of Piper’s “squad”

According to “Bad Influence,” Smith aspired for Piper Rockelle and her group to emulate the childhood version of the popular TV series “Friends” as she was a single mom.

In 2016, Piper began posting videos on YouTube featuring her spending time with friends. As viewership increased, additional kids, some of whom were budding actors, joined the group, earning the name “Piper’s ‘squad.'” Smith presented these youngsters’ parents with acting roles as a means to provide them visibility and help them grow their personal brands.

In the movie “Bad Influence,” it’s claimed that the mothers, including Smith, behind the teens appearing in Piper’s social media videos—which included music videos, love interests, and pranks—were overly enthusiastic about creating humorous content, sometimes even pushing their children beyond comfortable limits. Although many of the viral videos depicted the kids enjoying themselves and posing, the ex-team members suggest they were frequently subjected to excessive pressure.

In the captivating TV show I’m currently reviewing, I found myself cringing as the character played by Smith challenges a young girl to take a sip from a discarded smoothie on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A rather unusual and questionable scene, to say the least!

Previously associated cast member, Sawyer Sharbino, recounts an instance where they were advised to act unkindly towards another young co-star on her birthday, specifically by disregarding her and failing to extend a ‘Happy Birthday’ greeting.

“Tiffany absolutely wanted to do more questionable content to get more views and likes,” he says.

Jokes that didn’t land with the squad

In the movie “Bad Influence”, the children are depicted as pulling some of the cruellest pranks. One such prank involved Piper faking an injury; she pretended to break her leg and suffer a stroke, even going so far as to be transported in a simulated ambulance for a YouTube video.

On one occasion, a performer was contracted to don police attire and apprehend one of the adolescents—resulting in tears from the affected individuals.

According to Sophie Fergi, who used to be part of the team, “No one knew it was a joke, and the parents were unaware it was a joke,” is stated in the series.

According to Johna Ramirez, it was extremely distressing for her to see her 13-year-old son, Jentzen, crying intensely on set, as a pretend police officer was bullying the child actors.

According to Fergie, there are numerous videos that left everyone feeling uneasy. She went on to say that working with Piper was one of the most challenging periods in her life, despite being just 12 years old.

A significant number of Piper’s social media content is adult-oriented, frequently showcasing her wearing revealing outfits. In the year 2021, the acclaimed singer Pink voiced concerns about child influencers appearing overly sexualized, tweeting, “How many children like Piper Rockelle are being taken advantage of by their parents?…At what stage do we all say ‘this is not appropriate for a 13-year-old to be modeling in a bikini, while her MOTHER takes the picture?!’

Tiffany’s and Piper’s response to the allegations

In prior conversations, Smith and Piper have refuted accusations, although they didn’t appear in the documentary series.

Smith stated in a statement to People before the launch of Bad Influence’s trailer, “Clearly, we haven’t done what was accused, but regrettably, money can influence some individuals significantly in this world.” He chose to move past this issue because, honestly, ongoing legal battles would cause more harm and distress to everyone involved – including children.

In a similar statement back then, Piper called the child abuse claims “ridiculous.” 

However, the documentary series underscores that accusations of mistreatment are not uncommon within the sphere of “kidfluencing.” For instance, Michael and Heather Martin lost guardianship over two of their children in 2018 due to videos they posted showing them pranking their kids. Later on, in 2024, parenting influencer Ruby Franke was sentenced to a maximum prison term of 30 years for child abuse offenses.

In the realm of digital entertainment, where young stars rake in six-figure sums each month, I can’t help but notice a glaring disparity. Unlike their counterparts in conventional media, these internet sensations seem to lack the same robust protective measures that should be in place for child entertainers.

According to Taylor Lorenz, author of “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet,” when it comes to novel types of employment and digital media, there are no safeguards for workers.

In the squad, it was primarily Smith who influenced their decision to withdraw, rather than Piper. As the documentary comes to a close, you’ll see that former members express deep affection and concern for Piper, often becoming emotional when discussing their departure from the group.

Piper continues to maintain an active presence across various social media platforms. Currently, she has over 14.7 million fans on TikTok, over 12 million subscribers on YouTube, and close to 6 million followers on Instagram.

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2025-04-09 17:06

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