Warning: discusses child sexual abuse
A new Netflix docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, has gripped and saddened viewers, as it uncovers the toxic world of child influencing. The three-part film details the alleged abuse that former members of Piper Rockelle's content creator Squad claim they were subjected to at the hands of Tiffany Smith, Piper's mother, and her partner, Hunter Hill.
Said allegations were also detailed in a 2022 lawsuit filed by 11 ex-Squad members and alongside accusations that Tiffany and Hunter overworked them and didn't properly compensate them for appearing in videos, some also alleged that Tiffany sexually abused them.
Reese and Claire Rock Smith, Tiffany's nieces, and influencer Sophie Fergi are among those who claim Tiffany inappropriately touched them. Another content creator, known as Raegan Beast, also bravely shares that Tiffany inappropriately kissed him during a livestream video, in which Piper can be seen telling her mum to stop.
Tiffany and Hunter have denied any wrongdoing and have said the claims are financially motivated or driven by jealousy. Responding to some of the alleged sexual abuse claims in particular, Tiffany as per the LA Times said that "she did play physical games with the kids but they were not sexual".
The subject of child sexual abuse is an incredibly dark one and those who speak out on the topic in Bad Influence have been praised online for their bravery. The film's directors, Jenna Kosher and Kief Davidson, told Cosmopolitan UK that they were especially sensitive with the documentary's participants when it came to shooting those scenes and that some of the details were too harrowing to make the final cut.
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"There's a lot of story to tell, and I think that there's maybe some aspects of the abuse, [that were] a little too much. A little too detailed," Kosher says. "What I thought was extraordinary about Sophie, for example, was that she sort of had a moment where she said, 'I don't really want to share anymore. I'm kind of, this is my limit' and so we were really sensitive to that."
On the editing process, Koshers adds that, "Of course, there were many stories. It wasn't just one incident of abuse. So you can imagine, you have to be selective. Hammering people with multiple abusive stories from one child would maybe just feel like too much for a lot of people, so it was really just communicating with them on [...] this is the story that stood out for them the most, and this is the story we're going to share."
Davidson stresses that the teenagers in the film were never pushed to share more than they were comfortable with. "We didn't push them to really talk about the harder stories of abuse. They really had to lead the way, every step of the way, and only talk about what was most comfortable for them."
Since the docuseries has come out, many of those involved have posted about Sexual Assault Awareness Month on their Instagram Stories and others, including Claire Rock Smith, have posted TikToks about other stories involving Tiffany and their time in the Squad that they might want to open up about in future.
"They're now sort of looking at the documentary and it sounds like they want to talk about more things and reveal more. So we really let them drive it," says Davidson. "There's no question that the amount of abuse that these kids [experienced] – and not only the kids that we focus on, but the kids that we didn't focus on – was worse than what we could have even possibly shown."
Both directors are clear they hope viewers of Bad Influence will recognise Piper is not to blame for any of her mother's alleged behaviour and that she too is a victim of being overworked and exploited by Tiffany – something Piper has repeatedly denied on multiple occasions.
In an email statement shared with USA Today, Piper said, "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. [The allegations are] mean, untrue, and honestly all about money. My mom did not do any of those things that they said. And I’ll stand by my mom to the end."
It's also alleged in the documentary that Tiffany sent Piper's used underwear to an older male fan in exchange for gifts including a designer bag, and that she encouraged teenage Squad members to dress and act more provocatively for clicks and engagement.
"Piper is the ultimate victim here, and this documentary is not in any way [meant] to target Piper," adds Kosher, when speaking to Cosmopolitan UK. "We have tremendous compassion for Piper, and it's communicated through the interviews, through these kids who were very close to her at one time and still have much love for her and concern over her."
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
