Netflix's Bad Influence slammed by Piper Rockelle and Tiffany Smith

11 April 2025, 16:45 | Updated: 11 April 2025, 16:57

Piper Rockelle and Tiffany Smith issue statements slamming Netflix's Bad Influence. Picture: @piperrockelle via Instagram, Netflix

By Katie Louise Smith

Piper and her mother Tiffany have slammed Bad Influence, with Tiffany saying it has damaged Piper's mental health.

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Following the bombshell revelations and accusations about Piper Rockelle's mother Tiffany Smith in Netflix's new documentary series Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, Piper has now defended her mother in a statement.

Momager Tiffany has also issued a lengthy statement slamming the show and the allegations brought forward by the former members of Piper's 'Squad' and their parents who sued her in 2022.

In case you haven't watched it yet, Bad Influence takes a deep dive into the disturbing allegations that were laid out in the lawsuit, alleging that Tiffany had exploited the young teens and made wildly inappropriate comments to minors as well as alleged emotional abuse and assault.

Tiffany has publicly denied these allegations and the lawsuit was later settled. Both Piper and Tiffany also declined to be involved in the Netflix documentary and did not give comment.

Here's what they've now had to say following the release of the 3-part docseries.

Read more: Who is Piper Rockelle? Age, parents, net worth and Bad Influence controversy explained

Piper Rockelle's former Squad member Sophie Fergi appears in the documentary. Picture: Netflix

In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, Piper defended her mother: "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."

She claimed the accusations are "mean, untrue, and honestly all about money," adding: "My mom did not do any of those things that they said. And I’ll stand by my mom to the end.

On top of that, Piper also posted an Instagram Reel alluding to the documentary's subject matter, appearing to refer to things as "rumours".

In a conversation with an AI app, Piper said: "This rumor unfortunately has kind of hurt my lifestyle in a lot of ways, but I've just kept going. As much as I possibly can, is it worth trying to tell the truth to everyone that believes this rumor, or should I just brush it off?"

Responding to the AI feedback, Piper then said: "Do you think that karma is real and people who do bad things are going to have it come back to them?"

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A post shared by Piper Rockelle (@piperrockelle)

In a statement to E! News, Tiffany Smith also slammed the documentary as well as the lawsuit that was brought against her.

"This entire ordeal—from baseless accusations to legal chaos to a Netflix reality series—has been the most painful chapter of our lives," she said. "And it’s been especially devastating for my daughter, Piper. After everything she’s already endured, she’s now being exploited by Netflix under the guise of 'protecting' kids."

Tiffany continued: "The accusers were—and still are—stage moms pushing their kids into the spotlight. Most of the kids in the Netflix special are still chasing online fame and fortune, fully supported by their parents. As they admitted in the series, they originally approached lawyers over money and lost social media followers. Only later did other claims appear."

Watch the trailer for the Piper Rockelle documentary on Netflix

Slamming the series, Tiffany went on to add: "It’s deeply unfair to Piper, who’s now struggling with her mental health because of this flood of scrutiny and hate."

"Shame on Netflix for pushing a false narrative that puts kids at risk," she continued. "It’s hypocritical: while claiming to protect young creators, they built their entire special around Piper—using her performances, her image, and her likeness—without permission, without pay, and importantly, without concern for the damage."