Latest news with #BadInfluence:TheDarkSideOfKidfluencing
The National
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Extreme cases mask the fact that all ‘kidfluencing' is exploitative
The most common criticism of the show – and the pageant scene it portrayed – related to the sexualisation of its young stars, who were taught to preen and pose provocatively for an audience of adults. A spin-off series focusing on one of the girls was abruptly cancelled after her mother's relationships with two different child sex offenders were revealed. READ MORE: Elon Musk lookalike in Scotland goes viral in hilarious video Back then, it was easy to condemn the show, and the adults portrayed in it, as causing harm to their children. Few were swayed by arguments that the children enjoyed what they were doing, or that those viewing it through a sexual lens were the problem. The creators of Toddlers & Tiaras were not making a gritty expose – they were complicit in what many regarded as abuse. Unfortunately, compared to the Wild West of social media in 2025, those were simple times. Parents could push their kids onto the stage, and even TV, but there were limits – and child labour laws – to contend with if a family sought to turn its youngest members into cash cows. Last week – as YouTube celebrated its 20th birthday and YouTube Kids turned 10 – a Labour MP warned that parts of the 2023 Online Safety Act may already be 'obsolete or inadequate due to the lack of foresight and rigour of the last government' in relation to child 'influencers'. READ MORE: Second Kneecap clip assessed by police over alleged 'kill MP' call Reporting the concerns of Chi Onwurah, who chairs Westminster's science, technology and innovation committee, Sky News said that 'experts have raised concerns that there is a lack of legal provision for children who earn money through brand collaborations on social media, which has led to some advertising in their underwear.' That's an interesting sentence. A lack of regulation does not, in itself, lead to children appearing on social media in their underwear. That is the result of an adult – most likely a parent – filming the child in a state of undress and putting the content online. It's important not to shy away from the fact that it is parents who are using their children in this way, and indeed that fully dressed children cannot be protected by politicians if their parents are intent on exploiting them. The title of the recent Netflix series Bad Influence: The Dark Side Of Kidfluencing is similarly worth pondering, implying as it does that there is a light side of 'kidfluencing' that would not merit the scrutiny of documentary-makers. READ MORE: How is snapping photographs of the Pope's tomb 'paying respects'? It tells the story of a US child influencer and her mother who started out on the pageant circuit before switching to YouTube and building an extremely lucrative brand. Tiffany Smith progressed from filming her own daughter to creating content involving her friends, then other child performers seeking to boost their own online followings. It's not entirely clear which aspects of what happened next are the 'dark side' of the title. As the children's content started to bring in huge sums of money, the filming schedules became more demanding. Smith removed her daughter from school, and it was unclear what kind of education – if any – she continued to receive. As the children entered their teens, their videos began referencing crushes and kissing, and fake relationships were staged (albeit they were not always experienced as such by the children in question). Neither Smith nor her daughter agreed to be interviewed, so the story is largely told by the other 'kidfluencer' children (now nearly adults) and their parents. THEY tell increasingly disturbing stories about what Smith was doing, including allegations of sexual assault, psychological abuse and encouraging sexual predators to engage with the children's content. In 2022, YouTube removed Smith's ability to make money from videos posted to its site, on the grounds that she was 'facing multiple allegations of child abuse and exploitation'. But the channel itself was always a form of exploitation, as is every example of 'kidfluencing' and indeed the inclusion of children in content created by their parents. The question for legislators, creators and indeed ethically minded viewers of this content to consider is: where should lines be drawn? The parents featured in Bad Influence were clearly duped, but they are not innocent victims. The show does not delve too deeply into their complicity – if it had done so, presumably they would have been less inclined to take part. Tiffany Smith's daughter is still a social media influencer, and predictably at 17 has begun collaborating with OnlyFans 'models'. The Netflix series may serve to direct even more predatory adults towards her content, and further trap her in a 'career' she never chose. It may be some time before we learn how the creation of social media content featuring children has actually affected their development, their sense of self, and their relationships with others. But the more successful the child star, the more money can be made, and we cannot simply allow parents to decide how many takes, how many ads, how many videos are too many. The stakes are far too high.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Bad Influence' Dethroned In Netflix's Top 10 List By A New Show
Bad Influence Netflix Bad Influence: The Dark Side Of Kidfluencing is the latest unsettling Netflix documentary to stay planted on the top of the charts, but now it has lost its #1 spot to a staple of the service. Yes, WWE RAW has landed above it after its Monday night airing, but that almost always happens. But besides that Netflix's Black Mirror season 7 is also now above it, its six episodes now live, but ranging from 46 to a full 90 minutes for its finale, which returns the series to the USS Callister. There has been a general sense that Black Mirror has dropped in quality since it left the UK and became a US-based production. But there have been ups and downs and season 7 does very much appear to be an up. Top 10 Netflix Black Mirror season 7 is checking in with an 89% critic score, higher than season 6 (78%), season 5 (66%), the interactive Bandersnatch story (74%), season 4 (85%) season 3 (86%) and season 2 (87%), no small feat. The only two entries above it are the iconic season 1 at a 98%, and the White Christmas special at 90%. So it really is worth returning to the series now, it seems. And given that it's an anthology, you don't have to watch the worse seasons first. Well, other than the USS Callister episode from season 4. As for Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing (what a word), that only has six critic reviews in for an 86% and not enough audience reviews for a score. This is despite being Netflix's most-watched series for a little while now. I guess those interested in it do not overlap with people who do Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Of note on the rest of the list is The Gardener, a new Spanish miniseries about an assassin that runs for six episodes. No reviews on that yet, as it just premiered. A debut at #4 is good though. Pulse has now plunged down the list and is at #7. I do not believe a renewal is in the cards for that show, but we'll see. The 100% scored North of North is down to #5 from #4, but that's just because of RAW, and this show is performing well. I would in fact predict another season here, but it's too early to know that yet. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, and Bluesky Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
