HOLLYWOOD, CA – NOVEMBER 21: Piper Rockelle participates in the 2nd Annual Toys For Tots Toy Drive … More held at The Industry Loft Space on November 21, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Netflix’s explosive new docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, exposes the unregulated and often dangerous world of child social media influencers. It centers on the rise of YouTube star Piper Rockelle and the troubling accusations against her mother and manager, Tiffany Smith.
Directed by Jenna Rosher and Kief Davidson, Netflix’s new three-part docuseries delves into the disturbing allegations made by former members of Rockelle’s YouTube group, The Squad, consisting of up-and-coming influencers recruited by Smith to appear in Piper’s videos. The YouTubers racked up billions of views, but the success came at a cost.
ForbesThe Insane True Story Behind Piper Rockelle And Netflix’s ‘Bad Influence’ DocumentaryBy Monica MercuriIn 2022, eleven former Squad members and their guardians filed a lawsuit against Smith, accusing her of creating “an emotionally, physically and sometimes sexually abusive environment” both on and off set during their time with Piper Rockelle Inc. Meanwhile, Smith claimed that the lawsuit was driven by The Squad’s “financial jealousy of a 15-year-old girl.”
If you’re watching Bad Influence, you may be curious about Rockelle’s current situation, her comments regarding the docuseries, and whether she continues to make videos after the serious accusations. Here’s everything that has happened since the bombshell lawsuit against her mother was settled last year.
Who Is Piper Rockelle?
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 15: Actress/Influencer Piper Rockelle attends the New Interactive … More Live Stage Show Of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” at the El Segundo Performing Arts Center on March 15, 2018 in El Segundo, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Piper Rockelle is a 17-year-old social media influencer born in Atlanta, Georgia, on August 21, 2007. She got her start as a child actor, appearing in both scripted and unscripted shows, according to Netflix.
From a young age, Piper became fascinated with beauty pageants after watching the TLC reality show Toddlers & Tiaras. She entered and won her first pageant at three years old. At the time, her mom, Tiffany, owned a pet grooming business but eventually shifted her focus to supporting Piper’s pageant career, per Netflix.
Rockelle launched her Musical.ly account in 2016 and quickly became one of the platform’s top creators. After a social media manager approached her and her mom at a Musical.ly meet-and-greet in November 2016, they decided to take their advice and start a YouTube channel. As a result, Piper’s online presence grew significantly.
Piper and her mother then connected with Hunter Hill, an aspiring influencer they met at a conference in Los Angeles. Hill began helping with Piper’s YouTube channel by filming and editing her videos, and he eventually became romantically involved with her mother. After Smith and Piper relocated to L.A., the trio moved in together.
At one point, Rockelle was reportedly earning up to $625,000 a month from brand partnerships and other revenue streams, totaling between $4.2 million and $7.5 million annually, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Smith began recruiting other aspiring young influencers to appear alongside Rockelle in her videos, forming a group called “The Squad.” The Squad created fun and silly content, from lip-syncs and pranks to skits and viral challenges. However, tensions began to rise when parents of Squad members started raising concerns about Smith’s behavior, both on and off camera, around their children.
What Are The Accusations Against Piper Rockelle’s Mom, Tiffany Smith?
Tiffany Smith From Netflix’s “The Dark Side of Kidfluencing.”
Courtesy of Netflix
In January 2022, eleven former Squad members filed a lawsuit against Tiffany Smith, seeking $22 million in damages. The suit claimed that Smith fostered “an emotionally, physically and sometimes sexually abusive environment” both on and off set during their time with her company, Piper Rockelle Inc.
The complaint details multiple instances in which Smith allegedly touched the plaintiffs (all minors) inappropriately…such as “sticking a finger in Plaintiffs’ butts,” commenting on how “big” one Plaintiff’s breasts looked and attempting to squeeze them, and offering to show an 11-year-old girl how to perform oral sex.
The lawsuit also lists several sexually explicit things Smith allegedly said to the male teens about their private areas. She also allegedly “mailed out several of Piper’s soiled training bras and panties to an unknown individual” and said that “old men like to smell this stuff,” according to the lawsuit.
The Squad also claimed that Smith failed to properly compensate them for their work. While Rockelle reportedly made up to $625,000 a month, the other teens said that they often worked without meals or rest breaks and were not provided with on-set schooling.
In 2022, The Los Angeles Times conducted an in-depth investigation into the allegations surrounding Rockelle’s business, including claims of improper payment practices. Seven of the plaintiffs and their parents, who collaborated with Piper on hundreds of videos between 2017 and 2021, were interviewed by the newspaper, which notes that “all of them quit the Squad because of their concerns over the work environment.”
Ultimately, The LA Times found that Smith “operated a multimillion-dollar company that did not pay the children who filmed popular videos with her daughter, and that the children worked long hours without scheduled breaks for rest or meals and were not provided with regular on-set education, according to a review of dozens of court filings, emails, casting calls, talent releases and filming schedules, as well as interviews with the plaintiffs and their parents.”
The lawsuit was finally settled in October 2024 for $1.85 million, which is significantly less than the $22 million originally sought. Matthew Sarelson, the plaintiffs’ attorney, told the Los Angeles Times that the settlement “allowed the plaintiffs to avoid going to trial and having to “testify about things that [they] have put behind them.”
As of April 11, 2025, no criminal charges have been filed against either party involved. At the end of Bad Influence, Netflix states that Smith has publicly denied the claims made by former squad members and their parents. Both Smith and Hill have also denied any wrongdoing outlined in the 2022 lawsuit.
Where Is Piper Rockelle Now?
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 15: Piper Rockelle is seen on January 15, 2022 in Los Angeles, … More California. (Photo by Wil R/Star Max/GC Images)
GC Images
Piper Rockelle is still making videos on social media for her millions of subscribers across multiple platforms. She has more than 12 million followers on YouTube, 6.2 million followers on Instagram, and her largest audience on TikTok, where she boasts 14.8 million followers.
After the allegations against her mother, YouTube demonetized Piper’s channel in 2022, meaning she is no longer allowed to advertise or generate revenue from her videos. Although she can’t earn money from the platform, she still occasionally posts content, including recent videos like “100 Christmas Wishlist Ideas 2024” and “Week in my Life As a Full Time Influencer,” where she opened up about what her life is like today.
ForbesWhere Is Tiffany Smith Now? Inside The Disturbing Scandal Involving Piper Rockelle’s MomBy Monica Mercuri“Obviously I film vlogs like this, but I don’t really get a lot out of it besides the satisfaction from knowing you guys enjoy watching them, and I get a lot of fun memories that I can go back and watch, which I think is cool,” she said, adding that she makes money from brand deals, TikToks, etc.
“I have no room to complain about my life because things could be a lot worse,” she continued. “But what I do have to say is it is hard work on my end. I’ve never had a normal job, but whatever I’m doing right now, it feels like a job. It takes a lot out of me.”
What Has Piper Rockelle Said About Netflix’s Bad Influence?
“Bad Influence: The Dark Side Of Kidfluencing.”
Courtesy of Netflix
Rockelle recently responded to the allegations against her mother featured in the Netflix docuseries, telling USA Today they the claims are “mean, untrue, and honestly all about money.”
The 17-year-old influencer continued, “Honestly, I just want to move on from all of this because it’s really painful to deal with every day. And not surprisingly, my mental health has suffered more than anyone knows,” she said. “My mom did not do any of those things that they said. And I’ll stand by my mom to the end.”
Bad Influence: The Dark Side Of Kidfluencing is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.
