Piper Rockelle and Tiffany Smith After Netflix’s 'Bad Influence': Where Are They Now?

Piper Rockelle, the teenage YouTuber with over 12 million subscribers, has become the face of both viral fame and controversy. Netflix’s eye-opening docuseries, “Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing,” explores her meteoric rise, her controlling “momager” Tiffany Smith, and the disturbing realities behind the scenes of child influencer culture. From relentless filming schedules to legal battles, the docuseries pulls viewers into a world that isn't as glamorous as it seems.

Inside Piper Rockelle's World: Pressure, Fame, and Fallout

Now 17, Piper’s journey began in childhood pageants, where her mother Tiffany steered her toward the spotlight. According to her aunt, Patience Rock Smith, Piper’s early life was consumed by performance. Archival footage from Lifetime’s Dance Twins highlights Tiffany urging her daughter to win at all costs — a pattern many say continued as Piper’s fame grew.

Former members of Piper’s influencer group, known as “The Squad,” revealed grueling schedules. Influencer Sophie Fergi recalls filming up to 15 videos a day, often with only a few hours of sleep between filming and schoolwork; many videos involved scripted relationships and exaggerated personas.

In 2022, 11 children aged 10–16 filed a civil lawsuit against Tiffany Smith, Hunter Hill, and Piper Rockelle Inc., alleging emotional, verbal, and even sexual abuse. They claimed they weren’t paid despite generating massive revenues — allegedly in the hundreds of thousands monthly. While Smith denied all allegations and later countersued for $30 million, the lawsuit was ultimately settled for $1.85 million in October.

Piper continues to post on YouTube despite being demonetized in 2022, relying instead on brand deals and TikTok income. In a vlog, she admitted the toll her influencer lifestyle has taken: “It feels like a job. It takes a lot out of me.” She remains firm in her defense of her mother, calling the claims “mean, untrue, and all about money,” and stating that her mental health has suffered greatly through the ordeal.

Tiffany Smith and Hunter Hill: Out of the Spotlight, Not Out of Focus

Tiffany Smith, once the powerful force behind her daughter’s brand, now prefers privacy. In a prank video posted on Hill’s YouTube channel, she’s visibly uncomfortable and says, “I do not want to be in a TikTok.” Hill, often presented as Piper’s brother online, was in fact in a relationship with Smith — a fact only recently acknowledged publicly.

Hill, now 28, has also taken a step back. His last YouTube upload was in May 2024, and though he still has 339,000 Instagram followers, his content has slowed significantly.

Despite refusing interviews for the docuseries, both Smith and Hill remain part of the ongoing public conversation. For now, Piper continues to manage the complexities of fame, loyalty, and healing, while her mother and creative partner stay largely behind the scenes.