The mother and manager of a teenage YouTube star has been accused of inappropriate sexual interactions and emotional and physical abuse by the young co-creators of her daughter’s YouTube channel. Eleven former members of Piper Rockelle’s YouTube channel cast are pursuing $22 million in damages from her mom, Tiffany Smith, and Smith's boyfriend Hunter Hill, alleging they never received compensation for their work in the production of the YouTube channel.
The lawsuit was originally filed in January 2022. At the time, Smith claimed the sexual abuse allegations were false and a plot to get money. She countersued for $30 million last summer, but later dropped the claim, reported NBC News.
More from CafeMom: Parents Accused of Abusing Their Kids With Cruel YouTube 'Pranks'
The mother has received public criticism for her daughter’s online content in the past.
Smith has made headlines for how she manages her daughter’s social media presence, with notable celebrities, like singer Pink, speaking out about what she perceived as the exploitation of Rockelle in a tweet in August 2021.
Pink’s tweet read: "How many kids like Piper Rockelle are being exploited by their parents? And at what point do the rest of us say … this isn't okay for a 13-year-old to be posing in a bikini whilst her mother takes the photo?"
Smith has notoriously been known for taking photos and videos of her daughter, and other young content creators who are minors, in suggestive clothing and costumes. Even recently, a suggestive Barbie photo was posted on the teen’s Instagram account @piperrockelle.
The abuse allegations are awful.
The lawsuit filed against Smith includes allegations of “harassment, molestation, and abuse," per the claims filed in January 2022. Smith reportedly made several inappropriate sexual remarks to the underage content creators who helped make content for Rockelle’s YouTube channel. This allegedly included a comment about the size of one of the young content maker's genitalia, and said another content creator was "flat chested," according to the complaint.
Smith encouraged the content creators to be sexually aggressive in the videos produced for YouTube and even asked one of the children co-creating on the YouTube channel if she “knew what a dildo was for,” the lawsuit states.
Parents exploiting their children for monetary gain online is a controversial issue with no simple solution.
While there are some rules and regulations in place for child actors on film sets, there are hardly any regulations in place for children who are influencers in online spaces such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, who often have parents who direct and produce their content. Some organizations are working to change this, including Quit Clicking Kids, an advocacy organization trying to spread awareness about the issue.
Some states are working on passing legislation, including House Bill 1627 in Washington state, and recently Senate Bill 1782 in Illinois.
Quit Clicking Kids founder Chris McCarty told NPR, “What the bill says is, first, a percentage of the revenue generated from the video must be set aside for the children in escrow, so that — like, in a separate account for the child — and that once these children reach the age of majority, they can request any video featuring them as a child be deleted."
More from CafeMom: TikToker Calls Out Parent Influencer for Weird Photo Sets of Their Preteen Sold Online
Many have strong words about Smith's alleged actions.
Readers of the Daily Mail article covering the story expressed strong opinions regarding Smith’s alleged behavior.
One reader commented: “Why is this a civil case rather than a criminal case? Minor children exploited and parents are more concerned about their financial compensation?!? SMSH.”
“The exploitation of children online by their parents needs to be made illegal,” another reader commented. "There are thousands of 'mummy/mommy' bloggers using their children for money."
The case is ongoing.
