Tiffany Smith, once the driving force behind her daughter Piper Rockelle’s YouTube empire, has largely retreated from the public eye following serious allegations and a significant lawsuit that rocked the influencer world. The controversy surrounding Smith, who managed Rockelle's channel and the group of young creators known as "The Squad," has been the subject of intense scrutiny, especially with the release of Netflix's three-part docuseries, Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, which premiered on April 9, 2025.
Smith's journey began in 2016 when she helped launch Piper's YouTube career, turning simple at-home videos into a lucrative business. By 2018, their content had captured millions of viewers, featuring a rotating cast of child influencers who collaborated under the banner of The Squad. However, behind the scenes, the environment was reportedly toxic, leading to multiple members leaving the group between 2017 and 2021 due to alleged mistreatment.
In January 2022, the situation escalated dramatically when 11 former members of The Squad filed a lawsuit against Smith and her partner, Hunter Hill, alleging emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as child labor violations and financial misconduct. The lawsuit claimed that Smith fostered a harmful environment, making inappropriate comments and subjecting the young creators to distressing situations for the sake of content creation.
The lawsuit, initially filed for $22 million, accused Smith of being a "mean-spirited control freak" who made "wildly offensive and sexually explicit comments" and pressured the children into staging romantic scenarios for videos. One plaintiff described being instructed to engage in a kissing game with explicit directions, while others alleged they were not compensated for their appearances in numerous videos.
Smith countered with a $30 million lawsuit against the plaintiffs, claiming the allegations were fabricated for financial gain. However, she later dropped her countersuit. In October 2024, both parties reached a settlement for $1.85 million, with neither party admitting liability.
Despite the fallout, Piper Rockelle's popularity has continued to soar. As of April 2025, she boasts over 12 million YouTube subscribers, 14.8 million TikTok followers, and 6.1 million on Instagram. However, her channel was demonetized in February 2022 due to the allegations against her mother, resulting in significant financial losses estimated at $500,000 per month.
In the wake of the lawsuit, Tiffany Smith has largely disappeared from the public eye. Her social media accounts are now private, and she has not made any public statements since the settlement. In previous interviews, Smith vehemently denied all allegations, attributing the lawsuit to "financial jealousy" and emphasizing her commitment to her daughter's mental health during the ordeal.
Meanwhile, Piper has expressed her support for her mother, describing the legal battle as "extremely painful and, honestly, hard to understand." She has stated that the accusations against her family are "ridiculous" and has emphasized her desire to move past the controversy. In a statement, she remarked, "It’s become impossible to even look at my phone or do normal, day-to-day things. It’s been so incredibly painful. Thank goodness for my family. And thank goodness this is finally behind us."
The release of Bad Influence has reignited public interest in the case and sparked broader discussions about the need for stricter regulations in the child influencer industry. The docuseries features interviews with former Squad members and their parents, offering disturbing insights into the alleged mistreatment they faced.
As the documentary sheds light on the hidden costs of internet fame, it raises critical questions about the ethics of child influencing and the responsibilities of parents and managers in protecting young creators. The case has become a cautionary tale, highlighting the urgent need for better protections for child influencers in an unregulated digital landscape.
In the midst of this turmoil, Piper Rockelle continues to create content, though she has significantly reduced her output since the lawsuit. Her most recent video was posted in December 2024, and while she remains active on social media, the absence of her original Squad members has been noted by fans.
Looking ahead, Rockelle has hinted at sharing her side of the story once she turns 18, stating that she wants to address the situation more openly. As she navigates her career in the wake of the allegations, the impact of the legal drama on her life and work remains a poignant reminder of the complexities of growing up in the public eye.
The narrative of Tiffany Smith and Piper Rockelle illustrates the challenges and dangers associated with child influencers, drawing attention to the critical need for industry reform. As audiences continue to engage with the story through platforms like Netflix, the hope is that it will lead to a safer and more accountable environment for young creators in the future.
