Title: Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing
Language: English
Genres: Documentary
Trigger Warning: Child Abuse, Sexual Assault
Synopsis: Documentary about child influencer Piper Rockelle and the kids who were in her Squad.
My Review
Before Watching this documentary, I had no idea who Piper Rockelle was. Why would I? Afterall, I’m a 40 year old woman. Piper’s content is not something I’m interested in. However, I am interested in documentaries, and quite recently, the effects being on platforms like YouTube is having on the younger generation.
Piper Rockelle has been in the spotlight nearly her entire life. Starting with Pageants as a toddler, winning her first pageants as age 3. She was on two different TV shows before the age of ten, and then became the star of her own YouTube channel. Soon, other kids become involved and the Squad is born.
The documentary follows testimony of the former members of the Squad as well as their parents. The kids relate how Piper’s mother, Tiffany, was in control of everything. She controlled the content, the channels and the children. Tiffany was exceptional in manipulating people to get what she wants. She manages to isolate the kids from their parents so they don’t learn just what was going on until much later.
I won’t go into great detail of what these kids endured but it involved spending twelve hours or more a day filming videos, being told what to do, how to act and what to wear. Off camera was even worse as several of the children experienced sexual assault by Tiffany.
Now, I’m not a parent. I’m the type of person who has never wanted kids so obviously I don’t know what it’s like. Still, it baffles me the way the parents in this documentary were talking about everything that happened. It sounded like their concerns were more about the careers of their children as opposed to the trauma they went through. The parents file a lawsuit against Tiffany, but initially, the main concern is loss of revenue from Tiffany and partner sabotaging the other kids YouTube channels. This honestly baffles me. Do these parents not speak to their children? Do they not listen? I realize I’m not in their shoes and I don’t know what is actually going on but from some of the things the parents said, I really have to wonder what they were thinking.
In all of the this, the biggest victim is, of course, Piper. While the other children were able to leave, Piper is still trapped with her mother, being forced to film videos and take photos that get more and more provocative. As of the time of the making of the documentary, Piper was only 15 years old. I don’t understand how people can call people who choose not to have children selfish and terrible people, when there are parents out there abusing and exploiting their children for money.
More and more situations like this are coming to light and being talked about in the media. I really hope this message gets around more and channels like Piper’s, as well as family vlogging channels featuring children, will be banned, or at least demonetized.
This is an excellent documentary and I highly recommend it! 5 out of 5 stars.
Have you seen this documentary? Let me know what you thought of it!