Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing- Netflix Review

Netflix | 3 Episodes | 2025

Rating: 3 out of 5 – Critical story, but the storytelling needs supervision.

The Rise (and Ruin) of Internet Childhood

Bad Influence plunges headfirst into the chaotic circus of kidfluencer culture, a world where childhood innocence is just another monetized asset.

At the center is Piper Rockelle, who was launched into internet stardom before she could spell “monetization,” and her mother Tiffany Smith, who acted less like a parent and more like a brand manager from the seventh circle of social media hell. Tiffany orchestrated Piper’s viral fame with calculated precision, engineering scenarios that were equal parts uncomfortable and exploitative. And it wasn’t just Piper. Other children in the so-called “Squad” were roped into this fame-fueled machine, exchanging normalcy for brand deals, clicks, and curated chaos. The topic? Crucial. The story? Disturbing. The delivery? A messy, missed opportunity.

Disjointed Direction: Messy Editing, Missing Context

Here’s where Bad Influence takes a sharp nosedive: the editing. The structure is frantic, fragmented, and deeply confusing, like someone took all the footage, shook it in a bag, and dumped it onto a storyboard. The result? A muddled narrative that is so murky you’ll need your own murder board to follow it.

There are no visual timelines, no consistent cues, and very little sense of when or why things are happening. Characters are introduced briefly (if they get an introduction at all) and seemingly constantly throughout the 3 episodes; their names flashing onscreen for a split second before vanishing into the chaos (for the most part they all look relatively similar and as someone who's unfamiliar with "The Squad", I could not keep track of who was who). Relationships between people are unclear, and the viewer is left trying to untangle the web with nothing but guesswork and déjà vu.

I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it until someone listens: if you’re making a documentary, keep names and affiliations onscreen long enough for viewers to process them. This isn’t an aesthetic choice, it’s basic narrative hygiene.

A timeline, graphics, something to anchor us would've gone a long way. As it stands, it feels like the filmmakers tried to plug holes in the outline with whatever footage they had left, and hoped no one would notice. Spoiler: we noticed.

Cultish Control & Ethical Catastrophes

At its core, Bad Influence is a chilling exposé of the twisted power dynamics behind child influencer culture. Tiffany Smith didn’t just push her daughter into the spotlight, she engineered a cult-like ecosystem where fear and control were the default settings.

The documentary shines brightest when it holds the lens steady on Tiffany’s manipulation. She wasn’t just controlling; she dominated. Every kid, and even some parents, were terrified to step out of line. Kids were conditioned to obey, smile, perform. Discomfort was dismissed. Fear was the glue holding the group together.

But for all this emotional weight, the doc doesn’t linger long enough where it should. There’s a glaring lack of depth when it comes to the psychological consequences. Experts show up briefly, drop a few valid points, and vanish before anything meaningful can unfold. Trauma? Mental health fallout? Long-term impact? Barely scratched. Meanwhile, the film spends way too much time on clickbait squabbles and YouTube drama.

The most important questions- What does this do to a child long-term? Where’s the accountability? - are left to hang in the air, unanswered.

Should You Watch It?

Yes, but don’t expect closure.

As this Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing – Netflix Review makes clear, the documentary is flawed but important. It ignites a conversation that desperately needs more volume: the monetization of minors, the role of platforms in enabling abuse, and the terrifying ease with which a childhood can be bought and sold for views.

But the storytelling? Disorganized. Sloppy. Sometimes maddening. This isn’t the deep-dive exposé the subject deserves, it’s a chaotic first draft of a much bigger reckoning.

Watch it if you're a parent, educator, or just someone concerned about how far influencer culture has fallen. But prepare to walk away frustrated. The topic hits hard. The execution pulls its punches.

Case closed.🔍 Verdict delivered. ⚖️

Stay hydrated.💧  Don’t join a cult (especially a YouTube cult)🚫👯‍♀️

🕵️‍♀️The Emerald Sleuth, calling it a night. 💚