While scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, it is not hard to see at least one adorable kid doing a dance, or an unboxing, or just going viral for being cute. For years we have double tapped and shared these things without thinking twice. But after watching The Dark Side of Kid Influencing on Netflix, I don’t think I can see those videos the same again.
This documentary did so much more than pull the curtain back— it ripped it off and set a flame to it. It highlights the unspoken truth behind the viral fame of child influencers: exploitation, neglect, and the absence of basic legal protection. As someone who grew up during the early years of YouTube and now studies Psychology, this hits me especially hard.
What Happens When Childhood Becomes Content
One of the most eye opening things about the documentary was seeing how many kids never consented to be filmed or even understood what was happening. Their entire lives, including their most private moments, such as meltdowns and first periods, were recorded and uploaded for profit. The worst part? There are virtually no federal laws in the U.S. protecting children on social media the same way there are for child actors.
While watching, I couldn’t help but think of Danielle Cohn, and Piper Rockelle (whose mom was the antagonist in the documentary), and other child influencers who were being molded into personal brands before they were even old enough to get their license. The documentary doesn’t name drop every case that we know of, but the pattern is the same across the board: the lines between parenting and profiting have been dangerously blurred.
Parents, or Managers?
One of the most uncomfortable things I took away was seeing how parents were the ones behind the camera, pushing their children to make content. In some cases these kids were being made to film multiple videos a day for hours, all while being pulled away from school and isolated.
As I watched the documentary I found myself feeling empathy and also anger. Empathy for the kids who never asked for this and anger at the adults around them who prioritized clicks and sponsorships over their child’s mental health. It made me realize that while we have been shaming stage moms and pageant parents in years past, we have since been turning a blind eye to what we see everyday.
Why This Matters
As Gen Z, we are the most fluent in internet culture, and I feel like we should be the ones leading the conversation around online ethics. After all, we grew up on YouTube. We were the silly bands, Club Penguin, Poptropica, and ICarly generation. Now we are the generation going viral for sharing our lives and making change. But, The Dark Side of Kid Influencing is a reminder that not everything that trends is innocent and harmless.
We need to start asking the harder questions–about what kind of content we consume and why. Are we truly engaging because it’s entertaining or because we’ve been desensitized to what exploitation looks like because it’s wrapped in family vlogs and pastels.
Final Thoughts
After watching this documentary, I sat in silence for a while. It made me reflect on my own childhood, and how I was lucky that it wasn’t recorded and uploaded for the internet to see and critique. I thought about how important it is to protect kids and their right to grow up—not in front of a ring light, but in real life.
If you haven’t watched The Dark Side of Kid Influencing yet, I recommend it. But a warning be prepared. It is not just eye opening it is a wakeup call for all of us.