(Bad Influence: The Darkside of Kidfluencing)

Many of us dreamed of becoming astronauts, presidents, or royalty. Those dreams fueled our imagination and creativity. Today, many kids dream of being influencers. For some, that dream is a reality, but behind every picture-perfect post, there’s often a darker story. Netflix’s new docuseries Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing explores just that, following kidfluencer Piper Rockelle and her mom, Tiffany Smith, to reveal the unsettling truth behind their curated life.

The series dives into how kidfluencer culture has turned childhood into a product broadcasted for strangers, monetized for views, and often controlled by adults with questionable judgment. Unlike Hollywood child stars, kidfluencers operate in a legal gray area with fewer protections and oversight. Here’s what Bad Influence uncovers—and what we need to do about it.

When Childhood Becomes Clickbait

Hollywood’s history of exploited child stars is no secret. Now, we’re seeing similar patterns in the influencer world—but this time, the “script” is real life. Piper’s content group, Squad, was made up of kids pushed to create extreme, often inappropriate content for views. The center of the controversy is her mother and manager, Tiffany, but the problem runs deeper.

Former Squad member Jentzen Ramirez revealed that while his experience with Tiffany wasn’t negative, he was still exploited—this time by his mother, who treated his content as a cash machine. This is modern-day stage parenting, amplified by algorithms and monetization.

We need to shift the narrative of what a successful childhood looks like. That means promoting values beyond social media validation, and pushing for legal protections like requiring earnings to go into protected trust accounts, just as child actors do. If a child can’t truly understand what it means to become a public brand, they can’t truly give informed consent.

Questionable Content & Dangerous Viewers

Algorithms reward extremes, and kids are often the ones paying the price. Risky stunts, age-inappropriate behavior, and emotionally manipulative content are rewarded with engagement that attention becomes addictive. Platforms need to do more. That means demonetizing unsafe content involving minors, and actively moderating who interacts with it. Parents, please understand that some viewers aren’t just passive fans. They might have dangerous intentions. Teaching kids about online safety has to go deeper than “don’t talk to strangers.” It means helping them understand how algorithms work, how to read audience analytics, and how predators can hide in plain sight. Most parents don’t realize who’s watching and that needs to change.

Regulating Child Exploitation on Social Media

If a kid works in TV or film, there are laws to protect them. We need a digital-era version of the Coogan Law. One that covers kidfluencers and protects their time, earnings, education, and mental health. Platforms or influencer management agencies for these kids should be required to pay into trust funds solely for the kids, limit monetization on child-centered content, and actively monitor for signs of exploitation. This isn’t just about regulation, it’s about cultural responsibility. Parents, platforms, brands, and viewers all play a role.

Beyond the Influencer Dream

We need to expand the idea of success for kids. Social media fame might be flashy, but it’s often short-lived, high-pressure, and harmful. We should introduce kids to creative, fulfilling careers that don’t require turning their personal lives into content. Digital literacy should include everything from understanding editing tools to recognizing mental health red flags. Schools can bring in actual creators to talk about the real behind-the-scenes work: editing, scripting, project management, and burnout. Inspire kids to love the genuine crafting process, not just the spotlight.

Guiding Kids Toward Healthy Digital Habits

Bad Influence is a wake-up call. Whether kids are consuming or creating content, they’re being shaped by it. That’s why tools like Quvo exist to help parents guide their kids through the digital world without cutting them off from it. Our customizable parental controls help set healthy boundaries for exploration and learning. Digital literacy is a skill, and mistakes are part of that learning curve. What matters is that we stay involved, lead by example, and support them every step of the way. We all had big dreams when we were young. Let’s make sure our kids get to chase theirs without becoming content first.