I'm Rebecca LaVoy, and this is You Can't Make This Up.

You Can't Make This Up is the podcast where we uncover the true stories behind your favorite Netflix documentaries and films.

On today's episode, we take a closer look at the Netflix documentary series, Bad Influence, the Dark Side of Kid

Fluencing. She took these kids to massive viral fame. It seemed fun. It seemed so innocent, but it wasn't innocent at all.

Today we're talking to directors Keith Davidson and Jenna Rocher. Piper Raquel was a young

social media superstar with more than 25 million followers. She filmed pranks, challenges,

and crush content with her friend group, The Squad.

For aspiring tween influencers, joining them could unlock hundreds of thousands of followers

and big budget brand deals. But former squad members accused Piper's mother and manager Tiffany

of taking advantage of them, commercially, financially, and even sexually.

The Netflix documentary series, Bad Influence, The Dark Side of Kid Fluencing,

investigates disturbing stories of alleged exploitation, cult-like manipulation, and abuse

at the hands of Tiffany Smith. It asks hard questions about the growing sexualization of tweens and probes how far some

will go to make money at the expense of children. I wish there were a way to regulate the social

media world for children. I don't know how you could ever do it.

Yeah. could ever do it. And I'm joined now by directors Keith Davidson and Jenna Rocher.

Welcome to You Can't Make This Up.

Thank you.

Thanks for having us.

How did you first get interested in the story of

Piper Raquel and the squad? Well, I came across the story. There were a number of press articles

that had come out. They were in the midst of the families were in the midst of a civil lawsuit.

...