When Your Childhood Is Monetized

Source: Cotton Bro / Pexels

Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing on Netflix is more than just a documentary; it reflects a developing crisis. It exposes the hidden dangers of turning children into digital content creators, often by their families, for views, sponsorships, and fame. What unfolds is a story of blurred boundaries, emotional neglect, and unchecked power, with deep psychological consequences.

Children as Content

In traditional industries, such as film or modeling, child labor is regulated. But, in influencer culture, many of these protections do not apply. Children are frequently filmed within their own homes, often without their knowledge or consent. The narrative, the money, and the camera are all controlled by the parents. The boundary between caregiver and content producer collapses.

A loss of autonomy stems from this lack of structure. Research shows that children who lack control over their environment are more susceptible to anxiety, identity confusion, and emotional dysregulation (Perry & Szalavitz, 2017). When a child’s daily life becomes monetized, they no longer play—they perform. Even their privacy becomes a product.

The Developmental Cost

Psychologists recognize the harm of parentification, a dynamic in which children take on adult responsibilities to meet a caregiver’s emotional or practical needs. In kidfluencing households, this often manifests as performance pressure, public exposure, and the internalization of adult expectations—without the maturity to cope (Hooper, 2007).

Moreover, healthy identity development may be disrupted by prolonged exposure to an online audience. According to Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, adolescence is a critical stage for identity exploration (Erikson, 1968). For children raised online, this process is stifled. When they are finally given the space to make mistakes or exist offline, they may realize they no longer know who they are—only who the algorithm wanted them to be: cute, funny, and obedient.

Narcissism, Control, and the Parent-Manager Role

One of Bad Influence’s most disturbing revelations is the narcissistic dynamic between adult content creators and the children they feature. Narcissistic parenting is often characterized by control, enmeshment, and a lack of empathy (Brummelman et al., 2015). These dynamics are especially damaging when the entire household income is dependent on the child’s online presence. In such situations, children may be unable to speak up without jeopardizing their sense of safety, their relationships, and even the family’s financial stability.

Psychologically, this creates the conditions for trauma bonding—a survival response in which individuals form emotional attachments to those who harm them (Dutton & Painter, 1993). The result is a silencing of self, often lasting well into adulthood.

The Culture of Silence

Many young people featured in the documentary remained silent for years. This comes as no surprise. In abusive family systems, silence is often a survival strategy. According to Herman (1992), disclosure can lead to social ostracization, re-traumatization, or loss of support networks.

Their experiences echo those I have witnessed in trauma services—whether it’s children with dependent siblings, neurodivergent adolescents navigating shame, or eating disorder patients pressured to “perform recovery” for their families. In all these cases, the common thread is this: When love is conditional, silence is self-protection.

The Need for Reform

France has already taken steps by enacting laws requiring the earnings of child influencers to be placed in trust until they reach adulthood (Assemblée Nationale, 2020). However, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to fall behind. In the U.S., there are no federal protections for child influencers, and online platforms offer minimal regulation.

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Beyond legislation, a cultural shift is urgently needed. We must ask ourselves: Why is it acceptable—let alone entertaining—to witness a child’s most vulnerable moments online? Children should not have to trade their privacy for parental approval or internet notoriety.

Although the psychological toll of kidfluencing is often invisible, it is profound. These children face emotional abuse, developmental disruption, and identity loss, alongside the known risks of burnout and online harassment. Bad Influence invites us to confront a deeply uncomfortable truth: that children raised for content may one day need therapy because of it. Until the law evolves and society stops rewarding exploitation with engagement, children’s well-being will continue to be sacrificed for clicks.