Piper Rockelle’s Mom Exposes Netflix Doc’s Shocking Truth About Kidfluencing!

by

Tiffany Smith is speaking out. 

Following allegations of misconduct made by ex-members of her daughter Piper Rockelle’s YouTube “Squad” in the Netflix series “Down Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing”, the mother manager refuted these accusations that were presented in the documentary.

In a private interview with TopMob News on April 10th, Smith expressed that this challenging experience – from unfounded claims, legal turmoil, and a reality series on Netflix – has been the most distressing period in our lives. Particularly tough on my daughter, Piper, who has gone through so much already, is now being used by Netflix under the pretense of ‘protection,’ but instead, she’s being exploited.

In the three-part show, the matriarch encouraged viewers to see beyond the deception and illusion, as she faced accusations related to suboptimal work environments, harassment, and underpaying minor collaborators on Rockelle’s YouTube channel.

Smith elaborated, “Initially, the critics were mothers who sought to keep their children in the limelight, and that hasn’t changed. Many of the kids featured in the Netflix production are still pursuing internet stardom and financial success, with their parents’ unwavering support. They initially approached lawyers for monetary reasons and due to a loss of social media followers. Later on, additional accusations surfaced.

According to Smith, her daughter concurs that money served as the “corrosive incentive” for those who accused them. Smith further claimed that there were no problems with any of the parents or children until they perceived that Smith’s YouTube channel was generating more income than their own.

Regarding Smith, who faced a lawsuit from 11 plaintiffs in 2022 over accusations of harassment, failure to pay them, and intentionally affecting their individual YouTube channels by decreasing subscribers and video views, as court documents seen by TopMob News suggest – she considers the entire ordeal an unnecessary rehashing of an old matter. She claims that a comprehensive investigation previously cleared her of any misconduct. (Smith denied wrongdoing in the lawsuit and settled the case for $1.85 million in 2024, as confirmed by her accusers’ attorneys to NBC News at the time.)

Smith explained that the basis for our clearance was straightforward: the accusations were excessive and baseless. Upon investigation by the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, no wrongdoing was discovered. In fact, following our initial success, we transformed into a more conventional production format, complete with supervision from the California Labor Commission, on-set educators, adherence to minimum wage laws, and studio monitors for oversight.

TopMob News contacted the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services for a response, but they haven’t replied yet.

In addition to denying the accusations about behavior, work schedule, and attire, she emphasized that it’s grossly unjust towards Piper, who is currently battling with her mental wellbeing due to this overwhelming wave of criticism and hostility.

Concluding her statement, Smith called out Netflix for producing the project.  

As a conscientious advocate for our youth, I find it disheartening when companies like Netflix fail to uphold their stated values. It’s more than just inconsistent; they’ve constructed a program centered around a young artist named Piper, leveraging her talent, visual identity, and likeness, without her consent, compensation, or regard for the potential harm this could cause. This is unacceptable.

TopMob News reached out to Netflix but the company declined to comment for this story. 

The show titled “Down Bad Influence” premiered on Netflix on April 9, featuring numerous adolescent social media influencers discussing the questionable work environment they faced during their collaborations with Rockelle on videos spanning from 2017 to 2020.

As a dedicated influencer, I shared on the show that our team was producing approximately 10 to 15 videos each day. At times, our filming schedule started as early as 11 in the morning and ended late into the night, between 1 or 2 a.m. After a brief rest for two to three hours, I’d wake up around 6 or 7, attend school, close my tablet, and then it was time to prepare for filming again. There was no respite whatsoever in our schedule.

TopMob reached out to Fergi for comment but has not heard back. 

Furthermore, denying the accusations regarding her behavior, attire, or work schedule, she added emphatically, “It’s profoundly unjust towards Piper, as she is currently battling with her psychological well-being due to this deluge of criticism and hostility.

Concluding her statement, Smith called out Netflix for producing the project.  

She criticized Netflix severely for perpetuating an inaccurate storyline potentially harmful to children. It’s inconsistent of them: while advocating for safeguarding young artists, they constructed their entire special around Piper, exploiting her acts, her visual identity, and her likeness without consent, without compensation, and most crucially, without regard for the potential harm.

TopMob News reached out to Netflix but the company declined to comment for this story. 

The series titled “Down Bad Influence” premiered on Netflix on April 9, featuring various teenage influencers discussing the reported unsuitable work environment they experienced during their collaborations with Rockelle from 2017 to 2020.

Sophie Fergi shared on the show that they were shooting between 10 to 15 videos daily. Sometimes, the shoots started as late as 11 a.m. and went on till 1 or 2 a.m., leaving her little time for sleep. She’d get a brief rest of just two to three hours before waking up at around 6 or 7, handle schoolwork, shut down her tablet, and then prepare for more filming. There was no respite whatsoever.

TopMob reached out to Fergi for comment on Smith’s statement but has not heard back. 

As an ardent admirer, I can’t help but express my feelings about the recent docuseries that has sparked quite a stir in our community. Just like Smith, Rockelle too has voiced her disapproval, labeling the allegations as cruel, false, and frankly, it seems to me, driven by a greed for money rather than truth.

The teenager stated on April 9, in a communication with USA Today, that none of the actions mentioned were carried out by his mother. He expressed his unwavering support for her until the very end.

To learn about more about the biggest controversies surrounding influencers, keep reading.

In 2023, it was Colleen Ballinger, not her YouTube persona, who encountered criticism. The Internet sensation famous for her character Miranda Sings faced accusations of inappropriate behavior towards underage fans, following allegations made by fellow YouTuber KodeeRants in a video that has since been deleted. The video presented screenshots of an unverified group chat between Colleen and some of her followers, where she was accused of forming exploitative relationships with minors.

Later, content creator Adam McIntyre, who initially managed a fan account for Miranda Sings when he was only 10, released videos on his own YouTube channel claiming that Ballinger emotionally manipulates her fans.

Ballinger has not yet directly addressed these allegations, nor did she respond to TopMob News’ request for comment. However, in a ukulele song posted on her personal YouTube account on June 28, she referred to the accusations as a “toxic gossip train” heading towards “manipulation station,” while suggesting that others were tying her to the tracks and harassing her over her past actions.

Following these allegations, the remaining dates of her Miranda Sings tour were canceled, and she has not posted on social media since.

The controversy began when the author of “Girl, Wash Your Face” shared a post about her house cleaner, which sparked debate. In a resurfaced clip from the since-deleted post by Angie Treasure, Hollis discussed an incident from an April 2021 livestream where she spoke about a woman who cleans the toilets and was criticized for being privileged. Hollis responded by asserting that she had no desire to be relatable and used Harriet Tubman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Marie Curie, and Oprah Winfrey as examples of unrelatable figures.

However, it’s important to note that while selling millions of books is impressive, Hollis is not an abolitionist in the same league as Harriet Tubman. A few days later, Hollis issued an Instagram apology, acknowledging the pain she caused by mentioning prominent women, including several women of color, whose struggles and achievements she cannot understand. She also expressed regret for disregarding people who work hard but lack financial security due to systemic racism and bias. Finally, Hollis emphasized the need to listen more honestly.

In March 2020, the creator of Something Navy clothing line and the original blogger announced to her Instagram followers that she had tested positive for COVID-19, promising to self-isolate in her Manhattan apartment with her husband Brandon Charnas and their daughters Ruby and Esme. However, just eight days later, her entire household, including the nanny, relocated to the Hamptons. Needless to say, this didn’t reflect well on her. The comments on her Instagram page grew more critical as she bragged about going for walks outside for “fresh air,” ignoring social distancing guidelines instead.

When her husband cracked that only “hot” people were getting the virus, emotions boiled over.  

Later on, she published a detailed apology acknowledging various issues – their nanny also caught the virus, they arranged for doormen to clear the building lobby, avoided gas stations and had groceries delivered, and their Hamptons residence was on a secluded street. However, the harm caused persisted.

Following the expiration of her contract with Nordstrom in 2019, Nordstrom decided not to renew it. In response, Charnas, who welcomed her third child named Navy in 2021, shifted towards a direct-to-consumer relaunch, stating “I wanted more control,” and is now back to sharing her favorite Shopbop picks and collaborations with A Pea in the Pod.

On The Glossy Podcast, she admitted, “People expected me to be more mindful of world events, and I should have been.

In 2020, fashion blogger Emily Gellis Lande publicly criticized registered dietitian Lisa Zuckerbrot. Through a series of posts, Gellis Lande shared unverified stories from dieters who claimed they had spent thousands following Zuckerbrot’s high-fiber F-Factor Diet and experienced various health issues such as rashes, intense cramps, symptoms of metal poisoning, and in the most severe case, a miscarriage. The controversy caught the attention of The New York Times, which published an article about it.

Zuckerbrot, who has lawyer Lanny Davis on retainer (former White House special counsel to former president Bill Clinton), denied the accusations and claimed that her dietary products had only received 50 health complaints out of over 176,000 sales. She later provided a Certificate of Analysis to refute concerns about heavy metals in her products and appeared on Today to defend her program further.

Zuckerbrot is unimpressed by Gellis Lande’s actions. “I believe she thinks she’s helping people and that the lifestyle I lead is poisoning everyone and causing anorexia,” Zuckerbrot told The Times. “But she’s a fashion blogger.”

Zuckerbrot has since filed two lawsuits against Gellis Lande, alleging that she started a smear campaign to damage her brand. Both lawsuits are currently pending, and Gellis Lande has denied the claims.

2020 witnessed a significant racial awakening globally, yet it was Jessica Mulroney, a friend of Meghan Markle, who experienced a sudden realization. In a lengthy Instagram video, lifestyle influencer Sasha Exeter outlined her grievances against Mulroney, stating that the issues started when Mulroney took offense to Exeter’s request for support in fighting racial injustice and promoting positive messages. Exeter claimed that Mulroney exhibited problematic behavior by speaking negatively about her to other brands and even sending a threatening message. Although Mulroney apologized on Instagram, she later sent a DM, which Exeter shared, stating “Liable [sic] suit. Good luck.”

Mulroney expressed regret for her actions in a post addressed to her followers, promising to amplify Black voices by handing over her account to them to share their experiences. However, Canadian broadcaster CTV decided to cancel her reality show I Do, Redo.

Ben Mulroney, Jessica’s husband, stepped down from his co-host role on CTV’s eTalk, expressing hope that a new host, who could be Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, would use the platform to inspire, lead, and bring about change. Despite losing several professional opportunities, Mulroney managed to maintain her high-profile friendship with Meghan Markle, stating in a now-deleted post, “Meghan and I are family. She is the kindest friend.

The popular YouTube personality, famous for videos like “I DUCT TAPED My Brothers $400,000 Dollar TRUCK!” and dismissed from Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark, moved up to bigger platforms in 2020.

On August 5th, federal authorities executed a search warrant at Paul’s home in Calabasas, California, confirming it was linked to an incident on May 30th at a Scottsdale, Arizona mall. The FBI stated that Paul had illegally entered and stayed inside the shopping center after police ordered everyone to leave following a Black Lives Matter protest at Fashion Square Mall, which Paul claimed on Twitter he was only documenting, with no involvement in looting or vandalism.

Discussion about the reason for the FBI raid grew as large as his YouTube following, with video from a local ABC station showing multiple firearms being taken away by police. In a since-deleted August 12th video, Paul claimed that the search was “entirely related to the Arizona looting situation” and called rumors about it involving other matters unrelated to him or his character as absurd.

Though no charges were filed, Paul’s attorney told TopMob News in a statement they would cooperate with the investigation.

Over a year since reconciling with beauty influencer Tati Westbrook, my obsession with the YouTube world continues to stir up drama. In August 2020, I subtly criticized certain celebrities launching makeup lines, hinting that Alicia Keys, who never wears makeup, shouldn’t be dabbling in skincare. Realizing my mistake, I later apologized for stepping out of bounds as I’m not the gatekeeper of makeup.

However, barely two weeks later, I found myself in another mess when I targeted Lauren Conrad’s new beauty line. In a series of Instagram stories, I criticized The Hills alum and her new cosmetics brand, showcasing the empty packaging I received. Unfortunately, I made another blunder.

Luckily for LC, she took it all in stride, jokingly admitting her error on Instagram by blaming the woman responsible for assembling the gifts – none other than the infamous winged eyeliner expert herself. It turned out that she had packed an empty bag of samples to test their fit, and accidentally included it with the others, leading to the mix-up.

Fortunately, Lauren didn’t shed a single mascara tear over my gaffe. She humorously shared that “the woman who put together the gifts” would be let go immediately. I later apologized for my actions, claiming that the videos were meant to be funny and sharing that “Lauren and I spoke privately about the misunderstanding & are both good.”

Still, it’s evident that I know what I did. Despite the apologies, it seems like my obsession with the beauty world has led me into more trouble than I bargained for!

In a May 2020 video, vlogger and YouTuber Myka Stauffer began by expressing that the video she and her husband James were about to share was the hardest they’ve ever had to make publicly. It soon became clear that this wasn’t going to be a tutorial on their newborn routine or diet; instead, they revealed they had placed their 4-year-old son Huxley, adopted from China in 2017, with his new forever family due to the challenges of managing his autism.

The response from their nearly one million subscribers was overwhelmingly angry, with fans questioning whether the couple, parents to four other children, were either naive or had used Huxley for clicks and donations before discarding him when caring for him became too difficult. As a result, they lost followers, brand collaborators such as Fabletics, Suave, and Danimals ended their partnerships with them, and even Ohio’s Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to TopMob News that they were investigating Huxley’s well-being.

In late June, authorities announced they had closed the case “without any charges,” but Myka’s brand remains inactive. Since then, she hasn’t posted on YouTube or Instagram and has issued a lengthy statement apologizing for her naivety when starting the adoption process, clarifying that they were not under investigation.

Back in May 2020, when Hall and his TikTok partner mentioned a spontaneous cross-country road trip, they didn’t just get travel advice; their plan was met with disapproval due to potential violation of stay-at-home guidelines. When confronted about it, Hall defended their actions by stating that they were driving across the country while maintaining social distance and that it wasn’t a big deal.

However, things took a turn when they were stopped in Lee County, Texas five days later. The sheriff’s office confirmed that Hall was charged with marijuana possession, and Hossler was charged with possession of controlled substances. They posted bail the following day, but neither responded to comments from TopMob News at the time. Hall’s representative declined to comment, while Hossler didn’t respond.

In a June essay for People magazine, Hall admitted to starting his journey towards sobriety and expressed regret for past mistakes. He assured his fans that he was learning, growing, and promised to make them proud in the future.

In October 2019, the YouTube personalities known as the Stokes Twins pulled off an elaborate prank that didn’t exactly end up being a laugh riot. Dressed in black to resemble bank robbers, they hailed an Uber, pretending it was their getaway car while filming the scene. Unbeknownst to them, the Uber driver wasn’t in on the joke and refused to leave. A bystander then called the police, leading to a tense standoff with officers who arrived at gunpoint.

Later, authorities released the Uber driver after determining he was not involved in the prank. The Stokes Twins were warned about the potential dangers of their actions. Four hours later, they attempted a similar prank on the University of California, Irvine campus, resulting in their arrest.

If convicted on charges of false imprisonment and swatting (a hoax call to bring emergency responders), they could have faced up to four years in prison. However, they pled guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor false imprisonment and reporting false emergencies, receiving 160 hours of community service and one year of probation instead.

The Orange County D.A., Todd Spitzer, expressed his disapproval of the prank, stating that it could have resulted in someone getting seriously injured or even killed. In a later statement, their lawyer claimed they were not guilty of any crimes.

Known as the “Ruler of YouTube” for his long videos that garnered him approximately 34 million followers, Dawson faced the termination of his rule in June 2020 following a controversial tweet he later deleted, criticizing the online beauty community. In this tweet, he accused members of being self-centered, manipulative, and vindictive, singling out James Charles as an “arrogant, power-hungry influencer in need of a slice of humility as big as the Empire State Building.”

His followers were unimpressed, remarking that those living in glass houses should not throw stones. Within days, Dawson posted a 20-minute video titled “Taking Responsibility,” apologizing for his past mistakes, acknowledging “I have done many things I deeply regret.” Among these transgressions were using blackface, making racist comments and jokes, sexualizing a then-11-year-old Willow Smith, and posting inappropriate content.

“This video is an expression of my desire to take responsibility for my actions, to acknowledge everything I’ve done online that has caused pain, contributed to the problem, and been poorly handled,” he stated. “I deserved punishment for these actions.” As a result, YouTube suspended his ability to monetize his three accounts.

He resumed content creation in 2021, expressing gratitude for his “cancellation,” stating that it had significantly impacted his life for the better.

Read More

2025-04-11 03:24